Mohammed Siraj Talks About Struggles: In a space of around three weeks, India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj went from “not enjoying my bowling” in the home season to “having a lot of fun” in Australian conditions.
Heading into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, Siraj was one of the concerning spots for the Indian team due to his form, or lack of it, during the home season, where he even lost his spot in the XI.
In the four tests he played—two against New Zealand and two against Bangladesh—Siraj managed to pick up only six wickets at an average of 42.
However, as he returned to Australia, the country where he made his Test debut four years ago and played a starring role in India’s memorable series win in 2020/21, Siraj found his mojo back. In the first BGT 2024-25 Test match in Perth, Siraj took five wickets in the match, which included Mitchell Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, and Steve Smith, while conceding 71 runs.
Mohammed Siraj Talks About Struggles During Home Season: “I Wasn’t Enjoying..”
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, Siraj spoke about this change in outcomes for him from India to Australia. One key factor he attributed to his struggles in India was the lack of overs due to the spinners bowling the bulk.
“I could feel that I wasn’t enjoying my bowling. As a person, I am someone who gets a different feeling when I’m enjoying my bowling, even if I’m not getting wickets. And when I wasn’t getting wickets, I went a bit deep into why I wasn’t getting them. In India, you know that spinners bowl most of the overs, so there it is a little tough to get wickets in [the] five-six overs [you get]. So I just became a bit upset about why I wasn’t getting wickets. But now I am having a lot of fun,” Siraj said.
Mohammed Siraj Reveals Bharat Arun’s advice before the Australia tour
One man Siraj has often turned to during testing periods is Bharat Arun, the former India and Hyderabad bowling coach who has been a constant figure in Siraj’s rise from domestic cricket to Test cricket.
Siraj reveals he talked with Arun after the New Zealand series and how he helped change his mindset regarding his bowling before the Australia tour.
“I spoke with Bharat Arun sir, that this is what’s happening with me. Because he has known me for a while and he has seen my bowling from a long time back. So he just told me to enjoy and not run after wickets. Just enjoy, and you’ll get wickets,” the seamer revealed.
India played a warm-up match with the pink ball against PM’s XI on December 1. In it, Siraj returned with terrific figures of 7-1-18-1. The upcoming Adelaide Test match will be his first day-night Test.
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