After staging a remarkable comeback in the Perth Test against Australia, Mohammed Siraj praised his senior pace teammate Jasprit Bumrah for his guidance and support. Siraj, who claimed five crucial wickets in India's outstanding victory, attributed his improved performance to Bumrah's mentorship following a lackluster series against New Zealand.
The 30-year-old endured a difficult home season, managing just two wickets in two Tests during India's disastrous 0-3 loss to New Zealand prior to the tour Down Under, but returned to his best in the opening Test against Australia.
.teamshift img { width: auto; } .shareBox { img { width: auto; } } .playerShiftBlock { display: flex; flex-direction: column; padding: 20px 0 10px; border-radius: 16px; background: #2d3291; } .titleSecholder { display: flex; margin: 0 16px 7px; justify-content: space-between; align-items: stretch; } .titleblock { display: flex; padding-left: 12px; border-left: 3px solid #00b1cd; color: #fff; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 20px; } .playerBlockSec { height: 340px; display: flex; align-items: center; flex-wrap: nowrap; width: 100%; overflow-x: auto; white-space: nowrap; position: relative; gap: 8px; } .playerBlockSec::-webkit-scrollbar { display: none; } .playerBlock { width: 156px; display: flex; padding-top: 42px; } .playerBlock .bgBlock { border-radius: 8px; display: flex; height: 280px; flex-direction: column; } .playerBlock .bgBlock.rcb { background: linear-gradient(154deg, #e73b4a -47.71%, #5e6aee 113.65%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.lsg { background: linear-gradient(95deg, #5b6f9e -3.28%, #2b4366 58.29%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.dc { background: linear-gradient(137deg, #4873ff -42.82%, #ff6f68 92.94%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.gt { background: linear-gradient(133deg, #033f7a -14.77%, #ffe30f 109.41%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.csk { background: linear-gradient(118deg, #fee719 -32.08%, #f29834 51.52%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.mi { background: linear-gradient(324deg, #0279e5 32.22%, #fbfacb 104.85%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.kkr { background: linear-gradient(308deg, #3a1865 20.3%, #e284f0 116.46%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.pbks { background: linear-gradient(292deg, #fb5e5a 22.87%, #fef2cb 148.39%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.srh { background: linear-gradient(302deg, #ff3431 12.37%, #f26522 88.8%); } .playerBlock .bgBlock.rr { background: linear-gradient(289deg, #31336e 18.46%, #fb4f8c 128.5%); } .playerBlock:first-child { margin-left: 16px; } .playerBlock:last-child { margin-right: 16px; } .playerBlock .imgSec { margin: -42px 13px 0; width: 130px; height: 162px; } .playerBlock .imgSec img { width: 130px; height: 162px; border-radius: 18px; } .namePrice { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; margin-top: -32px; flex-direction: column; } .namePrice .name { color: #fff; font-family: Lato; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; } .namePrice .price { color: #fff; font-family: Lato; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 900; } .teamshift { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; margin: 8px 0; gap: 8px; } .teamshift span { text-transform: uppercase; border-radius: 4px; background: rgba(39, 38, 33, 0.5); padding: 2px 6px; color: #fff; font-family: Lato; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700; } ul.playerStats { list-style-type: none; display: flex; width: 100%; gap: 0 10px; flex-wrap: wrap; padding: 0 0 0 8px; } ul.playerStats li { width: 53%; color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.6); font-family: Lato; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 150%; } ul.playerStats li:nth-child(even) { font-weight: 900; font-size: 14px; width: 40%; color: #fff; } /* share block css */ .shareBlock { display: flex; width: 20px; height: 20px; cursor: pointer; position: relative; } .shareBox { position: absolute; right: 0; top: 27px; border-radius: 4px; background: #fff; box-shadow: 0px 0px 6px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.16); display: flex; padding: 6px 9px; align-items: center; gap: 24px; z-index: 3; width: fit-content; height: 50px; display: none; } .shareBlock:hover .shareBox { display: flex; } .iplCopyLink, .shareVia { color: #999; text-align: center; font-family: Lato; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 150%; white-space: nowrap; position: relative; } .iplCopyLink::before { content: ' '; width: 1px; height: 40px; background-color: #d9d9d9; position: absolute; left: -12px; top: 5px; } .iplCopyLink img, .shareVia img { margin-top: 4px; } .socialIcons { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; } .shareVia .socialIcons a { margin-left: 12px; } .shareVia .socialIcons a:first-child { display: none; margin-left: 0; } @media (max-width: 767px) { .shareVia .socialIcons a:first-child { display: block; } } a.ctaFullCoverage { font-size: 16px; margin: auto; position: absolute; bottom: -22px; left: 0; right: 0; background: #00b1cd; width: 100%; max-width: 200px; color: white; padding: 12px 16px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center; border-radius: 22px; overflow: hidden; box-shadow: 0px 0px 16px 0px #00B1CD; text-decoration: none; } a.ctaFullCoverage span { position: relative; z-index: 2; margin-left: 24px; } a.ctaFullCoverage span::before { content: ''; position: absolute; left: auto; right: 0; top: 0; bottom: 0; margin: auto; border: 1px solid #FFF; width: 10px; height: 10px; border-width: 2px 2px 0 0; z-index: 2; transform: rotate(45deg); } a.ctaFullCoverage span::after { content: ''; position: absolute; left: auto; right: 0; top: 0; bottom: 0; margin: auto; height: 2px; width: 16px; background-color: #FFF; border-radius: 2px; } a.ctaFullCoverage::before { content: ''; position: absolute; top: -17px; left: 50px; width: 24px; height: 74px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4); transform: rotate(32deg); animation: shinerMooving 3s infinite; z-index: 1; filter: blur(1px); } @keyframes shinerMooving { 0% { left: -40px; } 100% { left: 150%; } } Top 15 buys at IPL 2025 Auction Rishabh Pant ₹ 27 Cr DC LSG Total Match 111 Total Runs 3284 Highest Score 128 runs Shreyas Iyer ₹ 26.75 Cr KKR PBKS Total Match 115 Total Runs 3127 Highest Score 96 runs Venkatesh Iyer ₹ 23.75 Cr KKR KKR Total Match 50 Total Runs 1326 Highest Score 104 runs Wickets 3 Best Bowling 2/29 Arshdeep Singh ₹ 18 Cr PBKS PBKS Total Match 65 Total Runs 29 Highest Score 10 runs Wickets 76 Best Bowling 5/32 Yuzvendra Chahal ₹ 18 Cr RR PBKS Total Match 260 Total Runs 37 Highest Score 8 runs Wickets 205 Best Bowling 5/40 Jos Buttler ₹ 15.75 Cr RR GT Total Match 107 Total Runs 3582 Highest Score 124 runs KL Rahul ₹ 14 Cr LSG DC Total Match 132 Total Runs 4683 Highest Score 132 runs Trent Boult ₹ 12.50 Cr RR MI Total Match 104 Total Runs 83 Highest Score 17 runs Wickets 121 Best Bowling 4/18 Jofra Archer ₹ 12.50 Cr MI RR Total Match 35 Total Runs 195 Highest Score 27 runs Wickets 46 Best Bowling 3/15 Josh Hazlewood ₹ 12.50 Cr RCB RCB Total Match 12 Total Runs - Highest Score - Wickets 12 Best Bowling 3/24 Mohammed Siraj ₹ 12.25 Cr RCB GT Total Match 93 Total Runs 109 Highest Score 14 runs Wickets 93 Best Bowling 4/21 Mitchell Starc ₹ 11.75 Cr KKR DC Total Match 41 Total Runs 105 Highest Score 29 runs Wickets 51 Best Bowling 4/15 Phil Salt ₹ 11.50 Cr DC RCB Total Match 21 Total Runs 653 Highest Score 89 runs Ishan Kishan ₹ 11.25 Cr MI SRH Total Match 105 Total Runs 2644 Highest Score 99 runs Wickets - Best Bowling - Jitesh Sharma ₹ 11 Cr PBKS RCB Total Match 40 Total Runs 730 Highest Score 49 runs Check Full CoverageSiraj said it was a chat with stand-in skipper and No.1 ranked Test bowler Bumrah prior to the tour that helped him make a comeback in the series-opener in Perth where India recovered from a first innings collapse to 150 for a massive 295-run triumph.
"I always keep talking to Jassi bhai ," Siraj said after the India's six-wicket win over Australian Prime Minister's XI in a practice match here on Sunday.
"Even before the first match, I spoke with him about what I was going through. And he just told me one thing don't run after wickets, just keep bowling consistently in one area and enjoy your bowling. If you still don't get wickets, then you come ask me.
"So I enjoyed my bowling and I got wickets as well," he added.
Siraj also spoke to former India bowling coach Bharat Arun to help find his centre.
"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 long time back. So, he just told me to enjoy and not run after wickets. Just enjoy and you'll get wickets.
"And before travelling, I met Dilip sir in Hyderabad and we practised together as well. So, it felt good and now I'm enjoying.
"Morne keeps telling me that 'you are a warrior'. 'You'll get us wickets, but you just keep enjoying your bowling'."
Siraj seemed to be in good rhythm in the warm-up match against the Prime Minister's XI, which was his first game with a pink ball. He got the wicket of former Australian Test batter Matthew Renshaw.
The second Test against Australia, a day-night game, begins in Adelaide from Friday. It would be the first time that Siraj would be bowling with the pink ball under lights.
"The ball has a synthetic feeling, it's different from the red ball. The seam is very hard. It's bright, and quite big. The more you practice with it, the better you get," Siraj said.
"I think with the pink-ball, it's better to bowl back of length. Because pitching it up, there's not a lot of swing, so the more you hit the deck and get it to seam, it will be better for us," he noted.
"I have heard that the ball swings a lot under the lights but I haven't yet bowled with it under lights. So when we go to Adelaide and practice, we will try that. And the more practice we get, we'll know more about what we have to do."
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Stay informed with the...