Mohammed Siraj Finally Explains Why He Performs Better Without Jasprit Bumrah

India pacer Mohammed Siraj was the top wicket-taker on the tour of England, bagging a whopping 23 scalps. Siraj emerged as a senior performer for India, taking up the bulk of the responsibility on his shoulders, especially in games where Jasprit Bumrah wasn't playing. Even before the tour started, the Indian team management had decided to limit Bumrah's appearances to three matches. But what surprised people the most was how much Siraj was able to elevate his performance in Bumrah's absence.

In a chat with RevSportz, Siraj was asked about the Oval Test, where he looked like a man possessed. With Bumrah not around for the game, Siraj soaked the pressure of being the senior-most pacer and breathed fire against England batters, helping India win a memorable Test and draw the series 2-2.

“When I get an opportunity to shoulder responsibility, even if you look at a mundane series, my performance always grows. Responsibility gives me a different kind of joy, and boosts my confidence. I told you at Edgbaston that people are talking about me, and it's time to make all that talk stop. I usually am very aware of what I'm doing, and do not pay heed to what people are saying because people do not know my struggle. Despite that, I thought it's time to stop such talk because it was getting too much,” he said.

Highlighting what makes him deliver better results in the absence of Bumrah, Siraj said that he put more belief in himself to help the team and even said the same to his teammates.

“With Jassi Bhai (Jasprit Bumrah) not being there due to his back injury and his workload being managed, I tried my bit to keep the positivity in the bowling unit. Whenever I was talking to my teammates, Akash Deep and all, I was trying to spread the belief that we can do it. We can repeat what we have done already,” Siraj explained.

Topics mentioned in this article

Mohammed Siraj Jasprit Bumrah Cricket