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Siraj brother sheds light on secret behind pacer’s success against England, fitness

The Oval stadium on August 4 witnessed a high-octane moment when Indian pacer Mohammad Siraj’s searing yorker clean bowled Gus Atkinson to seal India’s victory and level the five Test matches Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2.

It was Siraj’s one of the fastest deliveries in the series. It came as his 1,113th ball of the rubber, the most bowled by any player, but tiredness was the last thing that hit his mind. He turned out to be the leading wicket taker with 23 scalps.

Siraj’s tireless efforts stood out in the series. He was the only pacer from either side to bowl in every innings available to his team. While there were occasional spells where his rhythm dipped, the 30-year-old never let his intensity drop. When in full flow, he swung the ball both ways, extracted unpredictable seam movement, and gave batters little time to react.

What made his performance exceptional was his ability to extract life from an 80-overs-old ball, something rarely seen in modern Test cricket. While a slice of fortune always plays its part in such feats, Siraj capitalised on every opportunity, showing the resilience and discipline that has defined his career.

The roots of this performance, according to his brother Mohammed Ismail, lie in Siraj’s dedication to fitness and a disciplined lifestyle.

“Yes, absolutely. He focuses a lot on fitness. He avoids junk food and maintains a disciplined diet. Even living in Hyderabad, he rarely eats biryani, maybe occasionally, and only if it’s homemade. But no pizzas or fast food, he’s very disciplined about his body,” Ismail said.

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Siraj’s remarkable endurance in the series had even raised concerns within the Indian camp. Bowling coach Morne Morkel revealed that the team was initially worried about the pacer’s physical and mental workload.

He had been operating tirelessly across multiple Tests, sending down long spells in challenging conditions. However, Siraj’s response to the management’s concerns was clear and emphatic he wanted to win for India.

That determination was evident in his bowling at The Oval. Siraj’s deliveries alternated between late swing and sharp seam movement, often leaving England’s batters guessing. Even as the series dragged into its final stages, he retained the ability to generate pace and extract movement, a testament to his fitness and mental toughness.

The yorker to Atkinson was the perfect exclamation point to his efforts. Coming in at high speed and swinging in late, it uprooted the stumps and sparked jubilant celebrations among the Indian players. It was a fitting finale for a bowler who had given everything to the series, both in skill and stamina.

With the win, India not only leveled the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy but also showcased the depth and resilience of its pace attack. For Siraj, the performance reaffirmed his status as a key figure in India’s Test bowling unit one capable of rising to any challenge, no matter the workload or the conditions.

However, it would be interesting to see how Siraj carries himself ahead in 2025 when India has a packed cricketing calendar as the team will be playing more matches in all formats to showcase its skills.

Not long ago, Siraj was seen as a dependable backup a fiery pacer who could fill in when the main guns were rested or injured. But today, he’s no longer standing in anyone’s shadow. From a side bowler to a central force in India’s pace arsenal, Siraj has carved out a place for himself among the elite.

In a bowling attack often spearheaded by the lethal Jasprit Bumrah arguably the best bowler in the world today Siraj has emerged as the perfect foil and sometimes, even the frontline warrior when Bumrah is rested or rotated. His journey has been anything but overnight. Built on sheer hard work, perseverance, and a fierce competitive spirit, Siraj’s rise is a story of turning every opportunity into a statement.

Pic Credit (Facebook: Mohammed Siraj)

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