Flashy workhorse Siraj and the head honcho's hat
If Shubman Gill's new-look Indian team has to go toe-to-toe against England, Siraj's performances have to be nothing short of top-notch.
Of all the Indian pacers who have boarded the flight for this five-match Test series, Siraj is the second-most experienced (36 Tests) and has played the second-most number of Tests in England (six). The answer to who is first is not exactly a secret.
Siraj's time with the Warwickshire County Cricket Club and his India-A exposure help him top the list of Indian speedsters with the most First Class wickets in England (46 scalps). Bumrah, with only India matches in the Old Blighty, has 38 wickets.
It will not be an understatement to suggest that Siraj is in for a long shift in the next couple of months.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Siraj's job description (strictly related to fast bowling duties here!) is expected to alternate between second-in-command and the head honcho as India will not have the services of pace ace Bumrah for at least two Tests (add most likely).
Make no mistake, it is a challenge of the highest order. A quick scan of Siraj's stats with and without Bumrah alongside him reveals that the Hyderabad speedster is not averse to being the alpha.
After all, he was entrusted with the lead role in just his first foray into Test cricket.
A spate of injuries ahead of the fourth Test in India's 2020-21 Australia tour meant that Siraj, with all of two Tests under his belt, had to spearhead the extremely inexperienced Indian bowling attack.
He aced the trial by fire with panache, notching up his first Test five-wicket haul to set up India's series triumph Down Under.
What transpired in Brisbane in early January 2021 was an extraordinary tale of grit and determination from the young Indian brigade. Coach Gautam Gambhir will hope for an encore in England.
A standing ovation as Mohammed Siraj picks up his maiden 5-wicket haul.#AUSvIND#TeamIndiapic.twitter.com/e0IaVJ3uA8 — BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2021
Captain's delight
Siraj — the flashy workhorse that he is — is a captain's delight.
India's 37th Test skipper, Gill, is eagerly waiting to team up with Siraj and emulate their successful partnership in the Gujarat Titans colours.
'Siraj and I made our Test debuts together. We almost made our ODI debuts together, and we have played so many India-A matches together. So, having that bond with him and knowing what he is capable of helps,' Gill told Sky Sports.
The skipper has every reason to be thrilled to have a potent weapon like Siraj in his arsenal, especially given how the pacer has shown unwavering commitment to Gill's predecessors.
'For 60 overs, they should feel like hell out there,' a fired-up Virat Kohli — granted that that was the former India captain's default setting — had ordered his soldiers ahead of the fourth innings at Lord's in 2021. Your wish is my command, said Siraj.
Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali, in the middle of an alliance that went on for more than 15 overs, were looking comfortable. Siraj made sure the English batters felt uncomfortable from thereon. He nicked off Moeen and Sam Curran off consecutive balls and dished out a ripsnorter of a short ball at Ollie Robinson's chest, walked up straight at the batter and asserted he meant business.
The drama at Lord's after Siraj dismissed Buttler still does the rounds on Instagram reels.
Kohli gestured to his pacer to go for sharp bouncers aimed at No. 11 James Anderson's head. A pumped-up Siraj conveyed he was up for the task by repeating what his skipper signalled.
A bustling Siraj shortly castled Anderson and sealed India's 151-run win at the Home of Cricket.
A match-winning performance 🙌#OnThisDay in 2021, Mohammed Siraj took four wickets to seal a famous victory for India.#LoveLordspic.twitter.com/LrVQruXYea — Lord's Cricket Ground (@HomeOfCricket) August 16, 2023
Siraj conjured up his career-best figures in a Test (eight for 126) and ensured his skipper's war cry will go into the annals of Indian cricket.
Siraj again showcased his will to do whatever it takes for the team when Ben Stokes & Co. visited India in 2024.
Captain Rohit Sharma had asked his bowlers to be ready for longer spells in a team meeting as R. Ashwin had to return to Chennai due to a family emergency midway through the Rajkot Test. Siraj obliged and returned his best figures at home (four for 84).
'In the morning, when we got to know that Ash bhai was not there, more responsibility fell on us. Rohit bhai told us that we will need to bowl long spells, and I love bowling long spells,' Siraj said after the third day's play.
'Since we were one bowler short, the remaining four bowlers had to bowl more. For a fast bowler in Test cricket, one cannot set up a batter in three or four overs. And we got success due to long spells,' he added.
Interestingly, Siraj (5306 deliveries) and Bumrah (5381) have bowled almost the same number of balls in Test cricket since the former's debut on December 26, 2020.
Hunting in packs
Siraj is indeed keen on putting his hand up and leading the way when push comes to shove. However, he also understands the value of hunting in packs, especially when the guy bowling next to him is Bumrah.
Cut back to India's 2023-24 tour of South Africa; Siraj did not have a good start to the two-match series. He struggled to find rhythm in the first Test in Centurion (24-1-91-2) in a match that saw India lose by an innings and 32 runs.
It was as if the turn of the calendar flicked a switch in Siraj. He ripped through the Proteas line-up (bundled out for 55 in the first essay) and made sure India levelled the series 1-1 with a famous seven-wicket win in Cape Town. He thanked his partner in crime for the quick turnaround in fortunes.
'Whenever Jassi bhai shares a message, we understand which line and length is better on that wicket. I don't need to think too much once I get that message. I just need to be consistent and [I know] I will get success. I am very happy that Bumrah is at the other end [bowling with me],' Siraj said after producing his best figures in a Test innings (six for 15).
Bumrah, while translating to the broadcaster what Siraj said in Hindi, added his own thoughts on their synergy.
'When we play together, he gets the message a little earlier because of our experience.
'We try to analyse the wicket a little quicker so that the communication goes in the bowling circuit on how the pitch is behaving. This is what we look to do,' Bumrah said.
Game-changer Bumrah
Siraj acknowledging Bumrah's genius is not a one-off occurrence.
'I'm only believe on Jassie bhai, because game-changer player he is only one guy, he is Jasprit Bumrah,' Siraj said after India's miracle win over South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final.
His English may be broken, but Siraj's genuine words filled with love and respect captured the raw emotions perfectly and resonated with one and all.
There was no stopping Siraj's tears in Barbados then, and India will expect there is no stopping him with the Dukes ball in hand on English shores next.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
25 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Gautam Gambhir welcomes Jasprit Bumrah in front of Lord's Honours Board; India pacer then completes the formality
It is a dream for every cricketer to get on the Lord's Honours Board. Scoring a century or taking five wickets at the home of cricket is what gets you there. Some of the biggest names the sport has seen, such as Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar, aren't up there because they failed to score a ton at the iconic venue in London. It would have been a travesty if Jasprit Bumrah didn't get featured too, but the India pacer showed great mastery on Day 2 of the third Test against England, and as a result, he picked up a fifer. It was quite an occasion as Jasprit Bumrah finally got on the Lord's Honours Board(Screengrabs - BCCI X) Jasprit Bumrah produced two ripping deliveries to breach the defence of overnight batters Ben Stokes and Joe Root. After picking up a fifer, Jasprit Bumrah held the ball in his hands as he soaked in the atmosphere at Lord's. He also led the team off once India bundled out England for 387 in the first innings. Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and bowling coach Morne Morkel also stood up to applaud Bumrah's efforts in the first innings. Once Bumrah arrived in the pavilion, Gambhir was seen waiting for him patiently near the Honours Board. Also Read: Jasprit Bumrah reveals reason behind no celebration despite five-wicket haul in Lord's Test Once Bumrah arrived, he got a hug from the Indian head coach and the rest of the support staff and non-playing members. Bumrah then eventually got his name up on the Honours Board, and he completed the formality by leaving his signature right up there. He also posed for the cameras and gave a big thumbs up. Jasprit Bumrah's reaction to taking fifer In the first innings of the Lord's Test, Jasprit Bumrah got the better of Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer. He dismissed four of the five batters by rattling their stumps. Bumrah also went past Kapil Dev to register the most number of fifers by an Indian bowler in the SENA countries. It was due to his effort that India were able to restrict England to under 400 (387). At stumps, India's score read 145/3 with the visitors still trailing by 242 runs. Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul are unbeaten for India. Speaking about his lack of celebration after dismissing Jofra Archer and completing a five-wicket haul, Bumrah said, 'The reality is that I was tired. There was no happiness factor. I bowled for a long time on the field, and sometimes I get tired.' 'I'm not 21-22 anymore that I'll jump around. I'm usually not like that. I was happy that I contributed. Other than that, I just wanted to go back to my mark and bowl the next ball," he added.
The Hindu
30 minutes ago
- The Hindu
ENG vs IND, 3rd Test: Lord's win from 2021 a special memory, says Bumrah
A five-wicket haul is always special for a bowler, and Jasprit Bumrah is no exception. At Lord's, he claimed his 15th five-fer in Test cricket on Friday, but the celebrations were muted as he simply led the team off the pitch, acknowledging the appreciation from the crowd. The Indian pace ace later admitted that his most memorable Test in England is from 2021, when he and Mohammed Shami forged an 89-run partnership for the ninth wicket to guide India to a massive victory. In the second innings of that fixture, Shami remained unbeaten on 56, Bumrah was not out on 34. 'The most memorable Test match in England was the last time when Shami bhai and I won the match with batting. So obviously, I will remember those memories,' he said, adding with a smile that making it to the prestigious Honours Board at Lord's did make him happy. India's Mohdohammed Shami, right, celebrates getting to his fifty, as India's Jasprit Bumrah congratulates him during the fifth day of the 2nd cricket test between England and India at Lord's on Aug. 16, 2021. | Photo Credit: AP 'It's a good thing to come to the Honours Board. When my son will grow up, I can tell him that my name is on the Honours Board and it is also on many other places. But I remember the memories. In that match (in 2021), I took only three wickets, but that memory was very special for me because we came from behind and we got them out in 60 overs. So memories are more important to me. Obviously, when I play for India, I want to contribute as much as I can…' ALSO READ | Bumrah's fifer, Rahul's resistance keep game in balance Time and again, Bumrah's fitness has been under scrutiny, but he believes, 'as long as I wear this jersey, judgment will come. Because every cricketer goes through that. A part and parcel of a professional sport is that you will always be judged by your performances. And obviously, you will always be judged day in and day out. Even when Sachin sir played 200 Test matches, he was also still being judged.' 'That's how it is… Professional sport is like that,' said Bumrah.
Hans India
30 minutes ago
- Hans India
It's not a holiday, you're here for a purpose: BCCI to players
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has backed the BCCI's directive to limit the presence of cricketers' families during long overseas tours, saying players must realise they are not on vacation but on national duty. The BCCI introduced a revised travel policy after the Indian team's 1-3 defeat in Australia at the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, capping family members' stay to two weeks maximum for tours longer than 45 days. For shorter tours, the duration was restricted to seven days. 'Families' roles are important, but you've got to understand one thing. You are here for a purpose. It's not a holiday. You're here for a huge purpose. You've got very few people in that dressing room or in this tour that gets this opportunity to make the country proud. 'So yes, I'm not against not having families with us,' said Gambhir during a conversation with Cheteshwar Pujara on Sony Sports Network. Star batter Virat Kohli had earlier spoken in favour of having families accompany players, saying personal support helps during high-pressure situations. Gambhir, however, stressed the importance of putting country before everything else. 'It is important to have families, but if your focus is towards making our country proud and you have a much bigger role than any other thing, and you're committed to that goal, you're committed to that cause, I think everything else is fine. But for me, I think that cause and that goal is far more important than any other thing.' On the sidelines of the third Test against England at Lord's, Gambhir also admitted he finds it difficult to disconnect from the game, revealing he was thinking about team combinations minutes after India's comeback win over England in the second Test at Birmingham. 'That's a tough question. I still haven't understood how do I switch off because I never switch off and sometimes it's very funny and it's very weird,' he said when asked how he unwinds. 'Honestly, when we won the last test match, the moment we won the last test match, the first thing that came in my mind was what is going to be the combination for the next Test? 'And when I went back to my room, I was thinking, how does that work? We've just won a Test match. The guys have worked hard to make a comeback after losing the first one, and I have already started thinking about what's going to be the combination, how can we win the next one? But I still haven't figured out honestly, to switch off.'
