Mohammed Siraj said that it took him some time to accept how the Lord’s Test ended—a slow-burning match that seemed lost on the last day, then teased Indian fantasies before closing the door in the most heartbreaking way. Alongside Ravindra Jadeja, India’s No. 11 fought for 64 minutes and 29 deliveries that day, giving the team hope with their last-wicket stand. Then came the heartbreak: a well-managed forward defense against Shoaib Bashir, only for the ball to roll back and disrupt the stumps after being kissed with overspin.
The dream was gone in that moment. Standing stooped over his bat, Siraj’s image has become one of the series’ most iconic images, not just for its poignancy but also for what it stood for: vulnerability, resistance, and the thin lines separating hope from despair.
“To get out after middling the ball…” Siraj said. “The way we were batting, me and Jaddu bhai, it never felt like I could get out. I had this much confidence from batting there that I could only get out if I made a mistake. Unfortunately, I got out even after middling the ball. That was heartbreaking.
“At one point, it looked like we would lose by 80 runs. Then we fought hard. We even took it past Tea. That hurts more. Had we lost by 80, it would have been fine. To get that close and lose is heartbreaking. But after a while I told myself the series is not yet over. There are still two more Tests. These matches should be fun.”
That mindset of “dust yourself off and get back to work” is another characteristic that makes Siraj the bowler unique. He has long accepted the fact that hard work and skill don’t always translate into wickets, something that fast bowlers frequently discover the hard way. His six-wicket outburst at Edgbaston was a momentary concession of that understanding, which carried him through the Australia trip and reverberated over his stay at Leeds. He was at his most inquisitive at Lord’s, especially against Joe Root, but he was again denied by the narrowest of margins and an umpire’s call.
“I have been bowling very well, but luck hasn’t been a little on my side,” he said. “As a bowler, I of course want wickets every time I bowl well, but you have to tell yourself that if not in this match, you will get it in the next. Upar wala bhi dekh raha hai [The man upstairs is watching]. If he has brought me this far, he will take me ahead as well.
“I can’t get irritated if I don’t get wickets. Even in the last match, it was so frustrating when I beat Joe Root, drew edges, did everything, but the only thing missing was his wicket. But I have to tell myself to keep it simple and keep bowling good balls, and the results will come.”
Siraj claims that this mental adjustment is what prevents him from veering off course. No breaking patterns out of impatience, no pursuing wickets with fuller balls. Even if someone else cashes in the reward, pressure is ultimately a form of money. “If I go searching, I will leak runs,” he stated. “I intend to maintain my consistency and continue focusing on the positive elements. I will grab wickets from there if I have to. We could get wickets from the other end if I just end up increasing the pressure. Thus, the thoughts don’t go to my wickets at that moment.”
Siraj’s workload hasn’t been minimal, but the greater discussion about workload has primarily focused on Jasprit Bumrah this series. He has already bowled 109 overs in this series alone and participated in 24 of India’s previous 27 Test matches. However, there is only discourse of faith and the desire to keep going, not of exhaustion. “I am thankful God has kept me healthy, touch wood,” stated the man.
“Workload is one thing, and it goes in the book that Siraj has bowled this many overs, but for me, it is just another opportunity. I want to do well and want to help win matches for the country. I want to play as many matches as I can, and all I want is to give my 100 percent. That when I go to bed at night, I shouldn’t feel I could have done more, no matter the results.”
