I Took Help From Dale Steyn During IPL For Bowling Out-Swingers: Mohammed Siraj

Indian pacer, Mohammed Siraj credits South African legend Dale Steyn for the display of his impressive bowling, his outswingers in particular, in the ongoing Test series against Australia. Siraj made his Test debut for India in the Boxing Day Test, which India won. He took 5 wickets in the match – he dismissed Australia’s top scorer in each innings in Melbourne.

In the third Test in Sydney, the right-arm seamer dismissed Australia’s opener, David Warner with an away going delivery that took the edge off Warner’s bat and flew towards Cheteshwar Pujara in slips.

Siraj reveals that he trained hard during the lockdown. He improved his outswingers from his Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammate, Dale Steyn during the IPL in UAE. Siraj was the joint second-leading wicket-taker for RCB in the IPL 2020. He bowled a thunderous spell of 3/8 including 2 maiden overs against KKR surprising the batsmen with seam and swing movement.

“I worked really hard on bowling outswingers during lockdown just like I did for India A. As I didn’t know how to bowl it well, I even took help from Dale Steyn during IPL, and now I feel confident bowling them,” Mohammed Siraj said in the virtual press conference on Thursday.

Catches being dropped is frustrating: Mohammed Siraj

After taking 5 wickets in the second Test, the pacer picked a solitary wicket in the first innings at the SCG. However, he could have had another had Rishabh Pant held on to his chance. Pant dropped Will Pucovski twice on Day 1 – one each off the bowling of Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Siraj – Pucovksi went to make his maiden Test fifty, on debut.

The 26-year-old says that it is frustrating when catches are dropped. However, Siraj reckons it is part of the game, and the bowlers should focus on the next delivery instead of overthinking on the dropped chance.

“Dropping catches are part and parcel of the game, it’s frustrating when it happens but then we focus on next deliveries and move on quickly,” Mohammed Siraj added.

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