"Rohit bhai told that..." - Mohammed Siraj explains the significance of long spells and his wickets

Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj bowled the most successful spell by a pacer at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot during the first innings of the third IND vs ENG Test match. Siraj recorded the figures of 4/84 and achieved the landmark. The right-arm Hyderabad pacer also ripped through the English lower order and picked up 3 out of the last 4 England wickets. Siraj showcased an excellent example of bowling yorkers and bouncers due to which he received a lot of success throughout the innings.

While speaking to BCCI, Mohammed Siraj opened up on him bowling a long spell in the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin, who pulled out of the match due to a family emergency. Siraj stated that the Indian captain Rohit Sharma asked him to bowl a long spell as the team was one bowler short. Siraj replied to him that he enjoys bowling a long spell and that is the time when he gets wickets.

Mohammed Siraj on bowling long spell during 3rd IND vs ENG Test match

Mohammed Siraj said, “Rohit bhai told that today you will have to bowl a long spell because India are one bowler short. So I said, brother, I am always ready for this situation because I enjoy bowling long spells, only then do I get wickets. Setting up the batsman and then taking wickets is the only way I enjoy bowling long spells.”

Further speaking in the conversation Mohammed Siraj shared his views on the dismissal of Rehan Ahmed. Siraj bowled a toe-crushing yorker aiming at the pads of Rehan, which later went on to hit the stumps and he was cleaned up. Siraj stated that at first, he didn’t realize that the batsman was bowled and appealed to the umpire, however, it was Sarfaraz Khan, who made Siraj realize that the batsman was bowled.

Mohammed Siraj said, “I appealed because when I bowled the ball, till I looked down, I thought the ball was going from below on the pad, I felt it hit the pad, then Sarfaraz came and said that he was cleaned bowled.”

Mohammed Siraj also replicated the 2021 dismissal of England batsman James Anderson, which came in the second Test match of the series, played in Lord’s. It was the final wicket of the match and India achieved a remarkable win. Mohammed Siraj said that the wicket was very special, however, today’s wicket was different from the one it was in Lord’s. Siraj revealed that he attempted for the yorker after which he was able to get the wicket.

Mohammed Siraj said, “Lord’s was a different wicket, in that situation Lord’s wicket and this wicket is different because I had tried the yorker, it was a little different but a wicket is a wicket. As a fast bowler, it feels good when you bowl someone because catching and getting out on a different ball is a different thing. You make some plans and you get a wicket on yorker, then you feel very confident and proud that yorker is a big thing in Test cricket.”

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Mohd. Siraj on the wonder wickets on Day 3 in Rajkot 😎 – By @ameyatilak #TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @mdsirajofficial | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/2mVPUFcg34

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 17, 2024

India would be aiming to stretch their lead on Day 4 and give England a tough second-innings target.