Test cricket is very important for my career, says Mohammed Siraj after career best bowling against South Africa | Cricket News
Mohammed Siraj steamed in to bowl nine overs in a row in the first session of the Cape Town Test. Leaking only 15 runs, he’d claim six wickets as India managed to bundle South Africa out for 55 on what was a bowlers-dominated Day 1.
Speaking to the Indian bowling coach Paras Mhambrey in a new BCCI video, Siraj opened up on what helped him and the other Indian seamers bounce back after conceding 400 plus runs in Centurion last week cut to Wednesday at the Newlands Cricket Ground.
“When I was bowling in the beginning, I felt like my end favored the release. Whenever I was putting in an effort, it was becoming manageable for the batters. So I decided to just release the ball. And as we saw, the results were more effective as well,” Siraj told Mhambrey.
Wickets fell like nine pins! 🎳
.@mdsirajofficial & Co. were on the target this morning, snapping up all 10 #SouthAfrica wickets in just the first session of the Test!
Watch all the fall of wickets here!
Tune-in to #SAvIND 2nd TestLIVE NOW | Star Sports Network#Cricket pic.twitter.com/viu3OGxCL8
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 3, 2024
Speaking on the conversations after the Boxing Day Test humbling, Siraj added, “Once our innings ended in the last match, we’d given away too many runs. I realised, I’d tried a lot. So far in my Test cricket career, it was the first time that I’d got a maiden in the 24th over. I haven’t seen my videos, but I’d realised what I’d done wrong. It dawned on me pretty quickly. I knew what I had to do in the next game.”
It was within the first session that Siraj and Co managed to restrict the Proteas in Cape Town to the lowest total regered any team in Test cricket. It had come as a surprise for even Siraj. “No, I hadn’t thought this would happen. To be honest, the bowling partnerships are so important in this format. When me and Jassi bhai were bowling, he was unlucky not to get wickets, but his bowling was creating further pressure.”
Bumrah would also claim two wickets in the first innings. Whereas for Siraj, it was a second instance of claiming six wickets in his career across all formats. The right-arm quick had been India’s player of the Asia Cup final, where he finished with 6/21 – his best ODI figures – to dismiss Sri Lanka for a paltry 50.
“The only similarity between the two spells is six wickets in both games. I’d given some 23 runs then, here I’ve given only 15,” Siraj said before illustrating the importance of the longest format in his career.
“Test cricket is very important for my career. I want to play as many games as I can in this format. You need to be consent throughout long spells. You get to tackle challenges, which is something I enjoy,” he added.
At Stumps on Day 1, South Africa were three down for 62 in their second innings, trailing 36 runs.
