Mohammed Siraj (photo:X)
Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj is on the verge of reaching a personal milestone and he may achieve this mark during the forthcoming series against England. At present his tally of wickets in Test matches is at 100 and he is ranked at number three among Test wicket-takers from Hyderabad. Ahead of him are Pragyan Ojha with 113 wickets and Shivlal Yadav with 102 wickets.
According to information provided by Mir Sami Ali, senior statistician and scorer of the HCA to Siasat.com, the top five wicket takers from Hyderabad in Test matches are Ojha (113), Yadav (102), Siraj (100), Venkatapathy Raju (93) and Ghulam Ahmed (68). They are followed by Syed Abid Ali (47) and Arshad Ayub (41).
If Siraj can take three more wickets, he will surpass the tally of off-spinner Shivlal Yadav and if he can take 14 wickets (which may be possible if he plays in all five Test matches), he will become the top wicket taker from Hyderabad.
So far he has played in 38 Test matches, taken 100 wickets at an average of 30.74, and has recorded five wicket hauls in one innings on three occasions. Former South African bowling legend Dale Steyn feels that Siraj has the right attitude. A few months ago, he told the media: “When playing in England, we must remember that it is not just about where you pitch the ball but also your mental strength and approach.”
Former Hyderabad captain M.V. Narasimha Rao, who had trained Siraj at the HCA Academy, told this correspondent that the bowler will do well in England because he hits the deck hard. Rao, who lives in Northern Ireland and coaches players there, is familiar with English conditions and is confident that Siraj will prove his mettle.
During his debut series, Siraj had taken 13 wickets from three matches in Australia to end up as India’s most successful bowler in terms of wickets. So on this tour if he plays five matches, there is a possibility that he may take about 15 wickets or more.
After that tour of Australia, VVS Laxman while talking to Siasat.com, had praised Siraj’s ability to swing the ball and his stamina which allowed him to come back as hard and fast in his second spell as he had done in the first spell. These qualities will be his greatest assets in the coming matches too.
As is a well-known fact, cricket playing conditions in England are generally favorable to fast bowlers. In England, the matches are predominantly played with the Dukes ball, which is renowned for its pronounced seam and ability to swing both ways.
The ball’s construction, including its Scottish leather and added grease, helps it retain its shine and seam for a longer period, thereby allowing bowlers to extract movement off the pitch and through the air. This makes it particularly challenging for batsmen, as the ball can deviate quite late.
If Siraj can make use of this factor, he will be a difficult bowler for all batsmen. Moreover, English pitches often feature a layer of grass, providing additional seam movement. The moisture content in these pitches, combined with overcast conditions, enhances the swing of the ball. Early in a match, these pitches offer pace and bounce that can benefit fast bowlers like Siraj.
Moreover the cooler temperatures and moist air in England are conducive to fast bowling. Mostly, on the first two days of every Test match, the pitches provide an extra bit of pace and bounce. Such advantageous conditions have enabled legendary fast bowlers like Harold Larwood, Fred Trueman and Frank Tyson to emerge from English soil.
Now it is up to Siraj to make the best use of the opportunity that he has got. He must strive to recapture the form he had shown against Australia in his first series and later against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup. If he performs well, not only will he be of great help to India, he can also take his personal tally of wickets to a higher level.
This post was last modified on June 6, 2025 6:31 pm