MY KOLKATA EDUGRAPH
ADVERTISEMENT
regular-article-logo Tuesday, 22 July 2025

The loss at Lord's was heartbreaking: For Siraj, it's wins, not workload, that matters

The bowler, though, is ready to continue giving his all for India, not losing sleep over workload management. Having rolled his arms tirelessly for 109 overs so far in this Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the pacer said: “Thankfully, I have been fit and healthy so far

Our Bureau Published 22.07.25, 11:47 AM
Fit-again Rishabh Pant (left) with captain Shubman Gill during practice on Monday.

Fit-again Rishabh Pant (left) with captain Shubman Gill during practice on Monday. (AP)

One could feel what Mohammed Siraj was going through on that final day at Lord’s when the ball rolled back to dislodge one of the bails after he had blocked a Shoaib
Bashir delivery.

If not for that bit of misfortune, India could have been going into the fourth Test in Manchester with a 2-1 lead. However, it’s of no use crying over spilt milk, and in their bid to go that extra yard, India’s lower-order batters are spending a little more time at nets for a stronger resistance in the remaining two Tests.

ADVERTISEMENT

“It obviously hurts when you get out despite middling the ball. The way Jaddubhai (Ravindra Jadeja) and my partnership was going, I felt I wouldn’t get out. I was
that confident.

“But unfortunately, it didn’t happen that way, and the (22-run) loss was heartbreaking. I was extremely disappointed. I’m a very emotional person.

“Had we won the game from there, it’s us who would have been leading 2-1. But now, we, the lower-order batters, are spending time with the bat at nets. I, too, had said to myself that the series is not over and I will work on my batting. We’ve been working hard on our batting since the Australia tour,” Siraj said.

The bowler Siraj, though, is ready to continue giving his all for India, not losing sleep over workload management. Having rolled his arms tirelessly for 109 overs so far in this Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the pacer said: “Thankfully, I have been fit and healthy so far.

“Yes, there is workload to be considered as per science, and if you go by the book, how many overs Siraj bowled would be mentioned there. Having said that, my mindset is to get the best use of the opportunity and win games for India,” the 31-year-old, who has picked up 13 wickets so far in the series, stated.

There has barely been any let-up in Siraj’s intensity even in India’s training sessions so far on the tour. “When you play for your country, that in itself is the biggest motivation,” Siraj said.

“Representing the nation gives me all the energy I need. My only aim is to give 100 per cent on the field so that when I go back and rest at night, I don’t have regrets like ‘I could’ve done this.’”

Siraj was fined for breaching Level I of the ICC code of conduct during Day IV of the third Test. Asked if he will continue with his aggressive, fiery approach, Siraj replied: “Yes. There are no plans regarding this. When you are bowling, you are in another zone and your focus is on taking wickets, so you don’t know what you say. You want to divert the batter, like when I asked (Joe) Root, ‘Where’s the Bazball?’”

Follow us on:
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT