India’s star pacer Mohammed Siraj credited his five-wicket haul on a flat track to the team’s Strength and Conditioning coach Soham Desai and stated that he accepted the challenges presented to him. Siraj has been playing Test cricket for just over two years.
It is a credit to his development that India’s team management chose him to lead a fairly inexperienced fast bowling squad on their maiden foreign assignment in the new World Test Championship cycle, while Shami and Jasprit Bumrah rested and rehabilitated back home. Siraj demonstrated why team management gave him the responsibility and why he enjoys difficulties. On a surface with little for the seamers, the 29-year-old hit brilliantly and returned with his career-best figures of 5 for 60 on a calm track. “It is not easy to take five wickets on a flat track. Credit goes to Soham (Desai) bhai, who has worked tirelessly on my fitness. I have been playing matches continuously and he makes sure that I stay fit. It was hot and humid and because of the rain, we were going on and off the field, it is difficult for a fast bowler to keep himself in charge. It is not easy to bowl long spells in such condition also,” Mohammed Siraj said after the end of Day four’s play.“The way wicket is turning I think Ash (Ashwin) bhai is going to clean it up,” he said.
“Mukesh is not a new player. He has done well in the Ranji Trophy on difficult wickets. It is not easy to take wickets in the Ranji Trophy because most of the time you play on the flat wickets.
