Mohammed Siraj and his intense book of spells proving that impact isn’t always measured in wickets while bowling.
Only Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, who are both fast bowling specialists, have played more Test matches than Mohammed Siraj, who made his debut in the 2020 Boxing Day Test. The only players who have taken more wickets than him are Cummins, Starc, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kagiso Rabada.
He isn’t mentioned in the same sentence, though. Part of it is because he is the only one in the top-five fast bowlers in this span averaging over 30. Siraj appeared strong in the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but he finished up with a lacklustre average of 31.15 in seam-friendly conditions, while Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland all averaged just over 13.
Beyond the number of wickets taken, the indicators point to a superb Test bowler. Siraj took a wicket almost once every ten balls in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, compared to others who were doing it every eight balls. Siraj drew a false shot every four balls, which is a rather healthy practice. He maintains a steady pace, combines outswing and wobble-seam delivery, and consistently hits the good length, but he is not Bumrah, who can summon his fortunes as if at will.
For Siraj, it is more about waiting for the right circumstances to present themselves. He knows that the luck he has had in these two series hasn’t been all that great. “I have been bowling very well, but the luck hasn’t been a little on my side,” he stated. “When I bowl well, I naturally want to take wickets, but you have to remind yourself that if you don’t get it in this match, you will in the next one.
“Upar wala bhi dekh raha hai [The man upstairs is watching]. If he has brought me this far, he will take me ahead as well. Don’t get so irritated if you don’t get wickets. Even in the last match, it was so frustrating when I beat Joe Root, drew edges, did everything, but the only thing missing was his wicket. But I have to tell myself to keep it simple and keep bowling good balls, and the results will come.”
One might also argue that Siraj’s workload is unmanaged because the bowlers that surround him are constantly rotated. Even though it speaks to Siraj’s heart, he doesn’t have the luxury of a break, which may sometimes be quite beneficial.
When it comes to his batting, Siraj is less philosophical. He batted for 64 minutes at Lord’s, adding 23 runs alongside Ravindra Jadeja to bring India within 22 runs of the mark. The most memorable picture of the series came from his dismissal: he was bowled after fumbling a back-foot defensive, and the England players interrupted their celebration to check on him.
Although Siraj leads the series in wickets taken thus far, his average of 32 is still higher than that of all England’s mainline quicks but lower than that of Bumrah and Akash Deep. How satisfying it will be if he can turn it around, contribute in ways that define the rest of the matches, and be more than just the workhorse that everyone looks up to. In terms of wickets, he has a lot of catching up to do.