NEW DELHI: Mohammed Siraj has now become a vital cog in Team India’s wheel in Test cricket and the fast bowler also confessed his love to the longer format of the game.
The speedster rattled Bangladesh’s top order with his figures of 3\/14 on the second day of the first Test in Chattogram. Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav (4\/33) was the wrecker in chief to leave Bangladesh tottering at 133 for 8 at stumps.
India had posted 404 in their first innings.
The 28-year-old Siraj also owes his success to bowling with a wobble seam he discovered four years ago that troubles the batters to tackle an outswing that comes in.
“In 2018, my balls stopped coming inside, I started bowling outswingers more. I got confused why balls are not coming in and that time I discovered wobble seam because it is difficult for a batter to tackle an outswing that comes in.
“Wobble seam is a type of an off-cutter and I got success with that,” he said.
Siraj attributed his success to bowling consistent line and length.
“Red ball is my favourite. I’m more consistent in red ball because it’s all about concentrating on line and length. The credit goes to all the bowlers,” he said in the press conference after the second day’s play.
“My approach was to bowl consistently at one place because it is such a wicket that if you try more there are chances to leak runs. My only plan was to hit one spot and got successful.”
He said a fast bowler needs to bowl stump-to-stump to get success in five-day cricket.
“I think the more you bowl stump line it is better, because sometimes it is getting lower from there as well as turning. For a fast bowler, it is better to bowl stump line because then you can have LBW chances,” he said.
The Indian lower-order wagged admirably with
Ravichandran Ashwin<\/a> (58), Kuldeep (40) and Umesh Yadav<\/a> (15 not out) putting up impressive displays to take India past the 400-run mark in the first innings.
“Runs from the lower-order is always good for the team, so everyone is showing interest in practice sessions. They (lower-order batters) want to do well,” Siraj said.
(With PTI Inputs)<\/span><\/div>\n