'I'm Purely a Rhythm Bowler': Mohammed Siraj Explains How His Two-Month Break Impacted His Pace and Bowling

Mohammed Siraj attributes his loss of pace and disrupted bowling rhythm during India’s recent Test series in Sri Lanka to a two-month break. After returning to domestic action in the Duleep Trophy final, Siraj initially struggled with his pace and control but improved significantly in the second innings. He explained that his difficulties stemmed from the disruption caused by his extended break, noting that his run-up felt disjointed and that some strides were too short or too long, breaking his flow and costing him pace.

Siraj emphasized that his body does not handle long breaks well, as he had never taken two full months off in his ten-year career. He also faced the challenge of demanding conditions after returning directly from Sri Lanka, where India had spent three-and-a-half days fielding in the second Test. Despite these challenges, Siraj refused to use the physical demands as an excuse, stressing the importance of passion and effort when representing his country.

He made a conscious adjustment in the second innings, focusing on maintaining his natural rhythm, which led to greater consistency in his bowling.