India speedster Mohammed Siraj struggled to find form in the series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. He was benched at one point as the team management preferred Akash Deep over him in the playing XI. However, in the first Test against Australia in Perth, the Hyderabad-born found his lost rhythm as he picked up five wickets across both innings. He will be important for the remaining four Test matches as well, especially as India are looking to seal their spot in the World Test Championship finale.
Meanwhile, addressing his form concerns, Siraj said that he recently had a chat with former national bowling coach Bharat Arun who gave him the confidence to bounce back. Notably, Arun, who is currently with KKR as bowling coach, spent plenty of time with Siraj in the Indian team and played a vital part in developing his career. Siraj noted that before travelling to Australia, he also met fielding coach T Dilip in Hyderabad and spoke about the role current bowling coach Morne Morkel played in developing his morale.
“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 was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
“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. Morne (Morkel) keeps telling me that 'you are a warrior'. 'You'll get us wickets, but you just keep enjoying your bowling,” he added.
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Siraj bowled seven overs and picked up the wicket of Matt Renshaw in the warm-up game against Prime Minister's XI. He will be key for the Indian team in the Pink Ball Test against Australia in Adelaide, slated to begin on December 6.
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