Siraj opens up about his struggles in dry home Test season and advice from former bowling coach

In a recent interview in Canberra, Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj reflected on his struggles during the home Test season against Bangladesh and New Zealand, where he lost his enjoyment for bowling. However, during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australian conditions, Siraj has found his love for the game once again, thanks to some valuable advice from former Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun.

During a total of four matches he played during the home Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, Siraj could take only six wickets. This also included a wicketless outing against Kiwis at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Unable to dominate under spin-friendly conditions, Siraj said that he started thinking deeply about his dry spell and got upset with his performances.

.teamshift img { width: auto; } .shareBox { img { width: auto; } } .playerShiftBlock { display: flex; flex-direction: column; padding: 20px 0 10px; border-radius: 16px; background: #2d3291; } .titleSecholder { display: flex; margin: 0 16px 7px; justify-content: space-between; align-items: stretch; } .titleblock { display: flex; padding-left: 12px; border-left: 3px solid #00b1cd; color: #fff; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 20px; } .playerBlockSec { height: 340px; display: flex; align-items: center; flex-wrap: nowrap; width: 100%; overflow-x: auto; white-space: nowrap; position: relative; gap: 8px; } .playerBlockSec::-webkit-scrollbar { display: none; } .playerBlock { width: 156px; display: flex; padding-top: 42px; } .playerBlock .bgBlock { border-radius: 8px; display: flex; height: 280px; flex-direction: column; } .playerBlock .bgBlock.rcb { background: linear-gradient(154deg, #e73b4a -47.71%, #5e6aee 113.65%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.lsg { background: linear-gradient(95deg, #5b6f9e -3.28%, #2b4366 58.29%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.dc { background: linear-gradient(137deg, #4873ff -42.82%, #ff6f68 92.94%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.gt { background: linear-gradient(133deg, #033f7a -14.77%, #ffe30f 109.41%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.csk { background: linear-gradient(118deg, #fee719 -32.08%, #f29834 51.52%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.mi { background: linear-gradient(324deg, #0279e5 32.22%, #fbfacb 104.85%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.kkr { background: linear-gradient(308deg, #3a1865 20.3%, #e284f0 116.46%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.pbks { background: linear-gradient(292deg, #fb5e5a 22.87%, #fef2cb 148.39%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.srh { background: linear-gradient(302deg, #ff3431 12.37%, #f26522 88.8%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.rr { background: linear-gradient(289deg, #31336e 18.46%, #fb4f8c 128.5%); } .playerBlock:first-child { margin-left: 16px; } .playerBlock:last-child { margin-right: 16px; } .playerBlock .imgSec { margin: -42px 13px 0; width: 130px; height: 162px; } .playerBlock .imgSec img { width: 130px; height: 162px; border-radius: 18px; } .namePrice { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; margin-top: -32px; flex-direction: column; } .namePrice .name { color: #fff; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; } .namePrice .price { color: #fff; font-family: Lato; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 900; } .teamshift { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; margin: 8px 0; gap: 8px; } .teamshift span { text-transform: uppercase; border-radius: 4px; background: rgba(39, 38, 33, 0.5); padding: 2px 6px; color: #fff; font-family: Lato; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; } ul.playerStats { list-style-type: none; display: flex; width: 100%; gap: 0 10px; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 0 0 0 8px; } ul.playerStats li { width: 53%; color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.6); font-family: Lato; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 150%; } ul.playerStats li:nth-child(even) { font-weight: 900; font-size: 14px; width: 40%; color: #fff; } /* share block css */ .shareBlock { display: flex; width: 20px; height: 20px; cursor: pointer; position: relative; } .shareBox { position: absolute; right: 0; top: 27px; border-radius: 4px; background: #fff; box-shadow: 0px 0px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.16); display: flex; padding: 6px 9px; align-items: center; gap: 24px; z-index: 3; width: fit-content; height: 50px; display: none; } .shareBlock:hover .shareBox { display: flex; } .iplCopyLink, .shareVia { color: #999; text-align: center; font-family: Lato; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 150%; white-space: nowrap; position: relative; } .iplCopyLink::before { content: ' '; width: 1px; height: 40px; background-color: #d9d9d9; position: absolute; left: -12px; top: 5px; } .iplCopyLink img, .shareVia img { margin-top: 4px; } .socialIcons { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; } .shareVia .socialIcons a { margin-left: 12px; } .shareVia .socialIcons a:first-child { display: none; margin-left: 0; } @media (max-width: 767px) { .shareVia .socialIcons a:first-child { display: block; } } a.ctaFullCoverage { font-size: 16px; margin: auto; position: absolute; bottom: -22px; left: 0; right: 0; background: #00b1cd; width: 100%; max-width: 200px; color: white; padding: 12px 16px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; border-radius: 22px; overflow: hidden; box-shadow: 0px 0px 16px 0px #00B1CD; text-decoration: none; } a.ctaFullCoverage span { position: relative; z-index: 2; margin-left: 24px; } a.ctaFullCoverage span::before { content: ''; position: absolute; left: auto; right: 0; top: 0; bottom: 0; margin: auto; border: 1px solid #FFF; width: 10px; height: 10px; border-width: 2px 2px 0 0; z-index: 2; transform: rotate(45deg); } a.ctaFullCoverage span::after { content: ''; position: absolute; left: auto; right: 0; top: 0; bottom: 0; margin: auto; height: 2px; width: 16px; background-color: #FFF; border-radius: 2px; } a.ctaFullCoverage::before { content: ''; position: absolute; top: -17px; left: 50px; width: 24px; height: 74px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4); transform: rotate(32deg); animation: shinerMooving 3s infinite; z-index: 1; filter: blur(1px); } @keyframes shinerMooving { 0% { left: -40px; } 100% { left: 150%; } } Top 15 buys at IPL 2025 Auction Rishabh Pant ₹ 27 Cr DC LSG Total Match 111 Total Runs 3284 Highest Score 128 runs Shreyas Iyer ₹ 26.75 Cr KKR PBKS Total Match 115 Total Runs 3127 Highest Score 96 runs Venkatesh Iyer ₹ 23.75 Cr KKR KKR Total Match 50 Total Runs 1326 Highest Score 104 runs Wickets 3 Best Bowling 2/29 Arshdeep Singh ₹ 18 Cr PBKS PBKS Total Match 65 Total Runs 29 Highest Score 10 runs Wickets 76 Best Bowling 5/32 Yuzvendra Chahal ₹ 18 Cr RR PBKS Total Match 260 Total Runs 37 Highest Score 8 runs Wickets 205 Best Bowling 5/40 Jos Buttler ₹ 15.75 Cr RR GT Total Match 107 Total Runs 3582 Highest Score 124 runs KL Rahul ₹ 14 Cr LSG DC Total Match 132 Total Runs 4683 Highest Score 132 runs Trent Boult ₹ 12.50 Cr RR MI Total Match 104 Total Runs 83 Highest Score 17 runs Wickets 121 Best Bowling 4/18 Jofra Archer ₹ 12.50 Cr MI RR Total Match 35 Total Runs 195 Highest Score 27 runs Wickets 46 Best Bowling 3/15 Josh Hazlewood ₹ 12.50 Cr RCB RCB Total Match 12 Total Runs - Highest Score - Wickets 12 Best Bowling 3/24 Mohammed Siraj ₹ 12.25 Cr RCB GT Total Match 93 Total Runs 109 Highest Score 14 runs Wickets 93 Best Bowling 4/21 Mitchell Starc ₹ 11.75 Cr KKR DC Total Match 41 Total Runs 105 Highest Score 29 runs Wickets 51 Best Bowling 4/15 Phil Salt ₹ 11.50 Cr DC RCB Total Match 21 Total Runs 653 Highest Score 89 runs Ishan Kishan ₹ 11.25 Cr MI SRH Total Match 105 Total Runs 2644 Highest Score 99 runs Wickets - Best Bowling - Jitesh Sharma ₹ 11 Cr PBKS RCB Total Match 40 Total Runs 730 Highest Score 49 runs Check Full Coverage

"I could feel that I was not enjoying my bowling, As a person, I am someone who gets a different feeling when I am enjoying my bowling, even if I am not getting wickets. And now when I was not getting wickets, I went a bit deep into why I was not 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 overs [you get as a fast bowler]. So I just became a bit upset about why I was not getting wickets. But now I am having a lot of fun," he said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo after the pink ball warm-up match against Prime Minister's XI on Sunday, which India won by five wickets.

Siraj, who took a total of five wickets during the Perth Test win which included three wickets in the second innings, has enjoyed bowling in Australia. Making his Test debut in Australia during the previous tour Down Under, he emerged as the top wicket-taker of an inexperienced bowling line-up, with 13 scalps in three matches including a five-wicket haul which helped India seal an inspirational series win with a memorable outing at The Gabba, which was Australia's first loss at the venue in over 32 years.

Siraj, who worked with bowling coach Bharat closely during that series, said that he spoke with his former coach who adviced him to just enjoy his bowling and not chase wickets.

"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 will get wickets. And before travelling, I met [fielding coach] Dilip sir in Hyderabad and we practiced together as well. So it felt good and now I am enjoying," he said.

Opening on his equation with present bowling coach and South African pace legend Morne Morkel, Siraj said that he calls him a "warrior".

"Morne [Morkel, India's current bowling coach] keeps telling me that 'you are a warrior'. 'You'll get us wickets, but you just keep enjoying your bowling'," said Siraj about Morkel.

In Australia, Siraj has 18 wickets in four matches at an average of 25.27, with best figures of 5/73. He looked solid with the pink-ball at Manuka Oval during the warm-up match, ending the match with figures of one wicket for 18 runs in seven overs, out of which one was a maiden over. He was happy to have got some pink-ball experience ahead of the Adelaide Test on December 6, where he will get to unleash this weapon for the first time ever.

Speaking about bowling with the pink-ball, Siraj said that it has a "synthetic feeling".

"This is different to the red ball we play with. There can be a bit of confusion due to the ball, but it is just one match so we just have to focus on that and practice for it and we will improve day-by-day. The seam is very hard. It is bright and quite big. The more you practice with it, the better you get," he said.

"I think that with the pink ball, it is better to bowl back of length. Because pitching it up, there is not a lot of swing, so the more you hit the deck and get it to seam, it will be better for us."

"I have heard that the ball swings a lot under the lights but I have not yet bowled with it under lights. So when we go to Adelaide and practice, we will try that. And the more practice we get, we will know more about what we have to do," he concluded.

Siraj also said that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah also keeps urging him to enjoy his bowling and not chase wickets.

"I always keep talking to Jassi bhai [Bumrah]. Even before the first match, I spoke with him about what I was going through. And he just told me one thing - do not run after wickets, just keep bowling consistently in one area and enjoy your bowling. If you still do not get wickets, then you come ask me. So I enjoyed my bowling and I got wickets as well," he said.

"Australia is a place where a fast bowler enjoys because you get pace and bounce. As a fast bowler, you get everything you want. So you get a different kind of confidence to come and enjoy your bowling here," signed off Siraj.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Stay informed with the...