Mohammed Siraj, India’s second-in-command pacer, has rediscovered his form after a terrible start to 2024. The speedster from Hyderabad faced a dip in his form. He was even dropped from the Indian team for the Third Test against New Zealand. However, following that, the Indian pacer turned to an old friend and mentor, Bharat Arun. Arun helped Siraj identify the problem, helping Siraj make a daunting comeback in the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
The Struggles of Mohammed Siraj
Siraj, once a relentless force in India’s pace arsenal, faced an alarming slump. In the lead-up to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the pacer managed only eight wickets in six Tests. His limited-overs performances were equally dismal—going wicketless in ODIs and managing just two scalps from six T20Is. Despite encouragement from Jasprit Bumrah and Morne Morkel, Siraj found himself in a crisis of confidence.
The blow came when he was excluded from the playing XI in the New Zealand Test series, a match India lost, completing a humiliating 3-0 defeat. For Siraj, this was a moment of reckoning.
Bharat Arun’s Intervention
Seeking answers, Siraj turned to Bharat Arun, India’s former bowling coach. Bharat Arun was quick in identifying Sira’s struggles and giving him a solution.
“He sounded down,” Arun told The Indian Express. “He wasn’t swinging the ball, and his seam position had gone haywire. In his quest for wickets, he’d started overcomplicating things, rushing his action, and trying to bowl faster.”
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Arun’s diagnosis revealed that Siraj’s wrist position had shifted. The consequences were far-reaching. It resulted in diminished accuracy, erratic seam movement, and a loss of his trademark stump-to-stump threat.
A Simple Yet Effective Plan from Bharat Arun
Instead of overwhelming Siraj with technical jargon, Arun crafted a straightforward plan. He asked the bowler to focus on one stump and practice bowling yorkers.
“This wasn’t about perfecting yorkers but about recalibrating his wrist position,” Arun explained. “When you bowl yorkers, your wrist automatically aligns correctly. It’s a drill to reset, not just technique but also confidence.”
Arun emphasized simplicity. “In moments of self-doubt, complicated instructions don’t help. Siraj thrives on clarity. A single target like the off stump helped him regain his rhythm and accuracy.”
Mohammed Siraj’s Redemption in Adelaide
The results were instant. In the opening Test against Australia, Siraj picked up a match-winning 5/51, silencing critics and reaffirming his position in India’s pace attack.
He sent back Marnus Labuschagne with a sizzling LBW delivery in the first innings. He then followed it up by dismissing Mitchell Marsh with a perfectly placed outswinger. His second innings was even more remarkable as he took three wickets. This included Steve Smith, whose dismissal was at his best.
“That wicket of Smith? Classic Siraj,” Arun remarked. “It wasn’t about extravagant movement; it was about precision. When his wrist is behind the ball, everything falls into place—his length, his seam, his accuracy.”
A Timely Comeback for Mohammed Siraj
Siraj’s return to form couldn’t have come at a better time. Heading into the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, India is well placed to take the 1-0 series lead, and that confidence-boosting revival by Siraj will add extra depth to Bumrah-led bowling attack.
As much mental strength as physical adaptation, this journey has been for Siraj. And for India, a revived Siraj presents a very potent weapon in the attempt to extend domination Down Under.
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