Mohammed Siraj has opened up about his struggles during India’s recent Test series in Sri Lanka, saying a long break from competitive cricket affected his rhythm and pace.
Siraj returned to action in the Duleep Trophy final after the Sri Lanka series. However, he did not look at his best initially and found it difficult to get his usual pace and rhythm back at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The fast bowler conceded 140 runs in 25 overs in the first innings after East Zone opted to bat. But he came back strongly in the second innings, bowling with much better control and pace. He finished with figures of 1/47 from 16 overs as East Zone defeated South Zone on the basis of their first-innings lead to win the Duleep Trophy title.
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Siraj Says Long Break Affected His Rhythm
Siraj believes the biggest reason behind his struggles was the unusually long gap he had before the Sri Lanka series.
The 32-year-old also admitted that taking two months away from competitive cricket was something he had never experienced in his career.
Chennai Heat Added To The Challenge
Siraj also had to deal with difficult conditions after returning from Sri Lanka. India had spent three-and-a-half days on the field during the second Test before the pacer travelled to Chennai for the Duleep Trophy final.
Despite the physical demands, Siraj said he did not want to use them as an excuse. He stressed that playing for India comes with a responsibility to give everything on the field.
‘The Old Siraj Was Back’ In Second Innings
Siraj also explained what changed in his bowling during the second innings.
Instead of trying too hard to bowl faster, he decided to focus on his natural rhythm. The change helped him find better control and consistency almost immediately.