Mohammed Siraj’s Struggle and Resurgence: How Bharat Arun Helped Revive His Form Ahead of Australia Tour
Mohammed Siraj, one of India’s premier pacers, found himself in a difficult phase of his career after a series of underwhelming performances in international cricket. Struggling to regain his rhythm, Siraj’s confidence took a hit, and his form seemed to deteriorate, especially in the lead-up to India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia. Despite receiving encouraging words from fellow pacer Jasprit Bumrah and inputs from bowling coach Morne Morkel, Siraj’s form continued to falter. The cricketer, who had been instrumental in India’s successes in recent years, now faced a major challenge: how to regain his best form and contribute to India’s plans in the highly anticipated five-Test tour of Australia.
The Struggles of Mohammed Siraj
Siraj’s rough patch began with a series of disappointing performances in the Test format. Between late 2023 and early 2024, Siraj managed to pick up just eight wickets in six Test matches, a period where his wicket-taking abilities seemed to have abandoned him. His performances in limited-overs formats weren’t any better. In ODIs, he had failed to take a single wicket in 2024, and his T20I appearances yielded just two wickets from six matches.
The dip in form was particularly concerning given Siraj’s reputation as one of the most promising fast bowlers in the world. A key player in India’s fast bowling unit, Siraj had earned a reputation for his ability to swing the ball both ways, consistently troubling batsmen with his accuracy and pace. But now, something was amiss.
Words of Encouragement from Bumrah and Morkel
During this slump, Siraj reached out to his senior teammate, Jasprit Bumrah, who has been a mentor and a guiding figure for many of the younger bowlers in the Indian squad. Bumrah, understanding the pressure of international cricket, tried to console Siraj. His advice was simple yet comforting: “Don’t worry about wickets, they will come in due time. If it doesn’t, come to me.”
Similarly, the words from India’s former bowling coach, Morne Morkel, echoed a similar tone of reassurance. “You are a warrior, don’t worry, just bowl,” Morkel told Siraj, offering him the emotional support he needed to regain his confidence. Despite this, Siraj’s struggles continued, and he found himself dropping out of the playing XI for the second Test against New Zealand. The Kiwis dominated the series, completing a 3-0 whitewash of India, and Siraj knew it was time to make significant changes before India’s upcoming Australia tour.
Bharat Arun: A Key Mentor in Siraj’s Journey
Realizing that the traditional advice and encouragement were not enough to get him back on track, Siraj turned to someone who had been pivotal in his early days as a cricketer: Bharat Arun, the former bowling coach of the Indian team. Arun, who had worked closely with Siraj during his domestic cricket days, understood the pacer’s strengths and weaknesses better than anyone.
When Siraj reached out to Arun, the pacer’s voice reflected his struggles. “He sounded a touch sad, down,” Arun recalled. “He told me that the ball was sliding towards leg, he wasn’t getting the swing, and his seam position didn’t feel as ideal as before.” Arun, always observant, had been following Siraj’s performances closely and noticed some changes in his bowling.
The Root Cause of Siraj’s Struggles
Arun quickly identified the key issue that had been hindering Siraj’s performance: his wrist position. Siraj’s bowling had always been characterized by a strong wrist position that enabled him to generate swing and seam movement. However, in his bid to improve his pace and increase the swing, Siraj had altered his approach, leading to a deterioration in his accuracy.
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According to Arun, Siraj had started focusing too much on trying to generate extra pace and movement, which caused him to lose his natural rhythm. “His wrist wasn’t behind the ball, his most crucial weapon,” Arun explained. “In his effort to increase the pace, all these mistakes were creeping up.” This resulted in Siraj’s body alignment being compromised, with his delivery not finding the right trajectory and seam position. The bowler, known for his accuracy and ability to bowl stump-to-stump, was now struggling to hit his line consistently.
Arun noted that Siraj had become rushed in his approach. He explained that when a bowler, especially one who is naturally an open-chested bowler like Siraj, tries to force his pace, it leads to a tilt in the body, which in turn affects the accuracy of his deliveries. Without the right wrist position, the seam position also got affected, and instead of getting the desired movement, Siraj’s deliveries were going off track.
The Fix: Simplicity and Focus
Drawing from his experience working with Siraj in domestic cricket, Arun knew that the best way to get Siraj back to his best was to simplify things. “It’s no use saying get the wrist behind the ball when you are edgy and worried. All that doesn’t make sense,” Arun said. He knew that Siraj would respond better to a straightforward plan.
Arun suggested a simple yet effective drill: focus on hitting a specific target at the off-stump. By asking Siraj to aim at the off-stump, Arun ensured that the bowler would work on his accuracy, forcing him to regain control of his wrist position. “I then told him to bowl a lot of yorkers at that one stump,” Arun added. While the primary goal was not to improve his yorkers but rather to get the wrist in the right position, this exercise helped Siraj rediscover his natural rhythm. Without the correct wrist position, a bowler cannot bowl an effective yorker, and this drill forced Siraj to get his fundamentals back in place.
The Revival of Mohammed Siraj
The results of Arun’s advice were almost immediate. Siraj returned to his wicket-taking form, and in his next outing, he produced a standout performance. In the first innings of the match, Siraj dismissed Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne LBW and also had Mitchell Marsh caught behind, with KL Rahul taking a superb catch at second slip.
In the second innings, Siraj outshone even Jasprit Bumrah, picking up three out of the first five wickets to fall. His dismissals of Usman Khawaja, Pat Cummins, and Steve Smith were all caught behind wickets, the result of batsmen failing to play straight deliveries that Siraj had expertly delivered. Arun was particularly pleased with the dismissal of Steve Smith. “That Smith wicket in the second innings was the ideal Siraj for me. How much did it move? Not much. But that’s not what Siraj was trying to do,” Arun observed.
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For Siraj, the key was not about trying to extract excessive movement but about sticking to his strengths and maintaining a simple, consistent line. “When the wrist is behind the ball, other things fall into place,” Arun added.
Looking Ahead: Siraj’s Crucial Role in India’s Tour of Australia
Siraj’s revival could not have come at a more opportune moment. With India already 1-0 up in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and gearing up for the pink-ball day-night Test in Adelaide, Siraj’s form is crucial for India’s chances of winning the series. His return to form is a testament to his resilience and the importance of having the right guidance and mentorship during tough times.
As Siraj looks ahead to the challenges posed by Australia’s strong batting line-up, his renewed confidence and ability to hit the right lengths make him a key asset for India in the remaining Tests. With Bharat Arun’s support and his own determination, Siraj has once again found his mojo, ready to help India achieve success in one of the most demanding cricket tours in recent years.
