When Mohammed Siraj was left out of the Champions Trophy squad, you could feel the disappointment. Not too long ago, he and Jasprit Bumrah were a deadly fast-bowling pair that everyone feared in all formats. But after a rough series against New Zealand where he took just 2 wickets in 2 games, his form dipped. He was part of the tour to Australia but didn’t look like himself. He took 20 wickets but something was off in his rhythm. Yes, there was that heated moment with Travis Head but he couldn’t make a lasting impact especially with Bumrah by his side.
Things changed for him in the IPL where he played for the Gujarat Titans. He really stepped up, took 16 wickets in 15 games and 151 dot balls and helped his team reach the playoffs. Now he’s back in red-ball cricket with a bigger role. Mohammed Shami is out and Bumrah has made it clear he won’t play all 5 Tests due to workload management. So Siraj will be a key part of India’s pace attack. The rest of the bowlers apart from Shardul Thakur don’t have much experience with Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna on their first tour to England.
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Siraj knows how to handle English conditions. In 6 matches there he has taken 23 wickets including 14 in the 2021 series when India was leading 2-1 before the last match got postponed due to COVID. His standout moment was at Lord’s where he took 8 wickets and contributed to one of India’s biggest Test wins. At that time he thrived alongside Bumrah using the pressure from his senior partner to rattle England’s batting lineup.
This time it’s not just stats; his experience will be crucial. Over the years Siraj has become an important part of India’s bowling strategy. Now he has to step up in a leadership role.
Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun put it well: “Nothing beats experience. He’s definitely learned a lot and now he can apply that understanding of the conditions. Plus after watching him in the IPL he’s got great rhythm so this is a chance for Siraj to be the leading bowler next to Bumrah.”Arun thinks Siraj has looked back at his past mistakes and worked hard during his IPL comeback. “He’s smart,” Arun said. “Playing a lot has given him valuable experience. The more challenges you face the better you get. Siraj has pushed himself, analyzed his game and worked on things effectively. He’s ready for this.”
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The first Test is about to start at Headingley and Indian cricket is entering a new phase. The team will need new leaders and heroes. Bumrah will still be the main strike bowler but they need someone to share the workload throughout the series. That someone could be Mohammed Siraj.
It will be interesting to see how Mohammed Siraj could create his impact with Jasprit Bumrah sharing the bowling duties.
