After enduring a challenging domestic season in which he only appeared in four of their five Test matches, taking a total of six wickets, Mohammed Siraj is in Australia following a minor epiphany.
He remarked, “I could feel that I wasn’t enjoying my bowling,” during Sunday’s tour match against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra. “Even if I’m not taking wickets, I personally feel different when I’m having fun bowling. I also looked over the reasons behind my lack of wickets. It can be difficult to gain wickets in [the] five-six overs [you get as a fast bowler] in India because, as you know, spinners bowl the majority of the overs. I just started to get a little frustrated about why I wasn’t getting wickets. But I’m having a great time now.”
Siraj has already taken five wickets in Perth, bringing his three-month total of wickets in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy down to one game. Bharat Arun, the former bowling coach for India, helped him locate his center.
“I spoke with Bharat Arun sir, that this is what’s happening with me,” Siraj stated. “Because he has observed my bowling for a long time and has known me for a long time. Therefore, he simply advised me to have fun and refrain from chasing wickets. You’ll get wickets if you just have fun. I also met [fielding coach] Dilip sir in Hyderabad prior to my trip, and we worked out together. I’m loving it now because it feels good.
‘You are a warrior,’ says Morne [Morkel, who is the bowling coach for India].” “You just keep enjoying your bowling, even though you’ll get us wickets.”
In the practice match against the Prime Minister’s XI, Mohammed Siraj appeared to be in good rhythm.
He had never played with the pink ball before. He collected the first wicket to fall during a seven-over opening spell, which was made possible by a rain break in between. Although he was positive he had Jack Clayton caught behind along the leg side, celebrating, he concluded with figures of 7-1-18-1, but the deflection was off the thigh pad. Spending time with the pink ball made him joyful.
“This [pink] ball has a synthetic feeling,” Siraj put it. “The red ball we use to play with is not the same as this. The ball can cause some uncertainty, but because it’s only one game, we should concentrate on it, practice, and become better every day. It’s a really firm seam. It is large and dazzling. You get better the more you practice.
“I believe it’s best to bowl back of length when using the pink ball. Because there is less swing while pitching it up, it will benefit us more if you hit the deck and get it to seam.
“I haven’t bowled with the ball under lights yet, but I’ve heard it swings a lot. So we’ll attempt that when we practice in Adelaide. And the more we practice, the better we’ll understand what we need to do.
The series resumes next Friday with a day-night Test in Adelaide, and while Jasprit Bumrah took the lead in Perth, Siraj and Harshit Rana, who bowled short-pitched deliveries and took four wickets in six balls at the Manuka Oval, helped keep the pressure up from the other end. They will be looking to repeat that performance.
“I always keep talking to Jassi bhai [Bumrah],” replied Siraj. “I told him about my situation even before the first game. He only gave me one piece of advice, which is to enjoy bowling and not chase after wickets. You can come ask me if you’re still not getting wickets. I took wickets and enjoyed bowling.
“A fast bowler likes Australia because it offers bounce and pace.” Everything is yours as a quick bowler. As a result, you have more confidence to come and have fun bowling here.
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