How Mohammed Siraj got back on track in Australia
The fast bowler has regained his rhythm on the Australia tour after struggling in the home Test series loss against New Zealand
Canberra: The thing that always strikes you about Mohammed Siraj is his enthusiasm. He is always smiling, ready to bowl the long spells and always happy to share the joy of his team-mates. But at some point between the Test series against New Zealand and the tour of Australia, the 30-year-old had a heart to heart with himself. He wasn’t enjoying himself, the wickets weren’t coming and he seemed to be caught in a downward spiral. This wasn’t the Siraj he knew. This wasn’t the Siraj the world knew.
“I was bowling well for the last 6-7 months but I wasn’t getting wickets. So as a human being, one tends to get tense. I kept asking myself why I wasn’t getting wickets,” said Siraj after the tour game against the Australian PM’s XI at the Manuka Oval on Sunday. “So, in the desperation to get wickets, I felt my line and length wasn’t as good as it needed to be.”
“I know my bowling well and it was clear to me that something wasn’t clicking. I am the kind of person who likes to enjoy bowling even if I don’t get wickets, but I just started thinking about it a bit too much. In India, usually the spinners do most of the damage so not getting a wicket in 5-6 overs is understandable, but it was adding to the pressure.”
Siraj added: “So I spoke to (Bharat) Arun, the former India bowling coach, who has known me for a very long time. So, he too told me to go out there and enjoy bowling. That was the advice from our fielding coach T Dilip as well. We had some good practice sessions in Hyderabad before leaving for Australia and now I feel like I am having fun again.”
Perth rebound
Siraj bowled good spells in the first Test at Perth, giving Jasprit Bumrah just the kind of support he needed after India were bowled out for 150 in the first innings. In the first innings, Siraj had figures of 13-7-20-2 and he followed it up in the second innings by claiming 14-2-51-3.
He turned in a fine performance with the pink ball in the tour game as well. He was accurate, got the ball to move and returned figures of 7-1-18-1. It continues the upswing and that is important for India, especially with the absence of Mohammed Shami. Siraj’s experience is the link between Bumrah and the younger bowlers.
“I always keep talking to Jassi bhai about the wicket and I spoke to him before the first Test too, telling him about my problems,” said Siraj. “So, he said just one thing to me, ‘tu wicket ke peeche mat bag, tu buss ek jagah consistent daal and just enjoy yourself (don’t go chasing wickets, just bowl at one spot consistently). If you still don’t find success, you speak to me.”
Siraj has a career average of 29.67 (85 wickets) but that dips considerably in Australia where he averages 25.27 (18 wickets). This may perhaps be down to the conditions but part of it is also knowing how to use them.
“A fast bowler enjoys himself in Australia — there is pace and bounce and that gives me a different kind of confidence,” said Siraj. “Morne (Morkel, the bowling coach) keeps telling me I am a warrior and I should just enjoy myself.”
There was also the slight bit of adjusting to the different conditions. The line and the length is different and something in good conditions bowlers can tend to get carried away.
“See, when you get so much bounce, you feel like you want to hit the batter on the helmet and break it. But, at the same time, one has to stay clam and execute the plan.”
Now, the Indian team moves to Adelaide on Monday and their preparation for the day-night Test (starts Friday) will begin in right earnest. Siraj, though, will just be out to enjoy himself because when he is doing that everything else falls in place.
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