"Was Not In Sync": India Pacer Mohammed Siraj Makes Big Admission On Struggle In Sri Lanka

By Suresh

**Siraj Finds His Rhythm Again: Pacer's Sri Lanka Slump Explained** Namaste, cricket lovers. Let me share a piece that resonates deeply with the artistry of our game. Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj has opened up about his troubled spell during the recent two-match Test tour of Sri Lanka, where he looked far from his usual self. Stripping pace from his bowling, he slipped to the late 120s kmph instead of his trademark early-mid 140s. Across four innings, he went for runs without troubling the batters—a quiet struggle for a bowler who calls himself "purely a rhythm bowler." **The Culprit: A Two-Month Layoff** Siraj traced the issue to an extended break. After Afghanistan's one-off Test concluded on June 8, he took two full months before joining the Sri Lanka tour (kickstarting with the SLC XI game on Aug 7). "Coming off a two-month break straight into a match, my rhythm wasn't quite there. If I'm not in sync, I simply can't explode through the crease," he confessed after the Duleep Trophy final at Chepauk. He described his run-up feeling disjointed—strides mismatched, flow broken, pace lost. "My approach relies on fluid, uninterrupted acceleration rather than staccato steps. After the layoff, my body was just recalibrating its stride lengths." **The Turnaround: Long Spells Restore Flow** In the Duleep Trophy final, Siraj bowled 41 overs for South Zone against East Zone, and the rhythm returned. "The more overs I bowl, the better I get. In my 10-year career, I'd never taken two full months off. Bowling spells of 10 and 11 overs locked me back into rhythm." He conceded 140 in 25 overs in the first innings but took a wicket in the second. Unfazed, he noted his goal was regaining feel, not scalps: "Even if I didn't get wickets, that hard work will pay off internationally." **A Word from Shami** Siraj shared a reunion with old partner Mohammed Shami (East Zone). Per Shami, the advice was simple: "Return to your core strengths. When your run-up and rhythm are in sync, your line and length fall into place automatically." **Looking Ahead** Now, Indian management hopes this in-sync Siraj carries forward to the New Zealand season. As he put it, "The moment I forgot the outcome and ran in naturally, the old Siraj was back." A reminder that mastery is rhythm, and rhythm must be nurtured—never lost. *End of news* Source: NDTV Sports