Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has revealed that an unprecedented two-month break from competitive cricket disrupted his rhythm during the recent Test series in Sri Lanka.
Hyderabad fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has attributed his underwhelming performance during India's recent two-Test tour of Sri Lanka to an unfamiliar two-month layoff from competitive cricket.
The 32-year-old pacer managed just four wickets across the two Test matches in Sri Lanka, claiming a single wicket in each of the four innings. His struggles continued in the Duleep Trophy final, where he took just one wicket in South Zone's defeat to East Zone. Prior to the Sri Lanka tour, Siraj's last competitive outing was in a one-off Test against Afghanistan in June.
Explaining the impact of the break, Siraj noted that while workload management is widely discussed, his body does not benefit from extended periods away from match action. 'Every bowler’s body is different, mine doesn’t handle long breaks well. A short breather is fine, but in my career, I had never taken two full months off,' Siraj said. He added that while he worked out in the gym and bowled occasionally, 'no amount of practice can replicate match intensity.'
During the Sri Lanka series, Siraj struggled to generate his usual pace, operating predominantly in the 120-130 kph range and failing to hit 140 kph. 'I’m purely a rhythm bowler. If I’m not in sync, I can’t explode through the crease. That was the struggle in Sri Lanka — my run-up felt disjointed. Some strides were too short, others were too long, and that broke my flow and cost me pace,' he explained.
Siraj also reflected on his performance in the Duleep Trophy final, where a lacklustre first innings was followed by a much-improved effort in the second. 'In the first innings, the pitch looked fresh, so I tried to bowl too fast… In the second, I told myself to forget the outcome and just run in with good, natural rhythm. The moment I did that, the old Siraj was back in action, and the ball started coming out beautifully,' he said, adding that playing the match helped bring his rhythm right back.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Cricket. Photo courtesy The Hindu Cricket.