However, after the first day of the second Test against South Africa in Cape Town, the Indian pacer took even more satisfaction in addressing the mistakes he made during the series opener in Centurion.
In the first Test, Siraj had figures of 2/91 in South Africa’s only innings, but he made a strong comeback by claiming six wickets for just 15 runs from nine overs in the second Test, contributing to the hosts being bundled out for 55 in the first innings.
The day witnessed a record total of 23 wickets falling, highlighting the bowlers’ dominance.
Did he think he will come out to bowl twice in a day? “Did you think so?” he chuckled with a counter question.
“We didn’t think also. We had put our feet up but this is cricket. You see both good and bad things,” he added philosophically.
But he was visibly happy after having one of his best days in his 23 Tests career. The joy and satisfaction he derived from this standout performance were evident, reflecting the hard work and dedication that players put into honing their skills and making meaningful contributions to their team’s success.
“You want the New Year to go well,” the affable Hyderabadi said with satisfaction written all over his face.
“I realised what I missed in the last game and wanted to compensate and I executed my plans accordingly. I wanted to hit one area consistently and I did that and got rewarded for it. Wicket looks quite similar to Centurion,” Siraj said at the end of the day’s play.
So what did he do different that he didn’t in the last game? “We (him and Jasprit Bumrah) bowled in partnerships and bowled many maidens unlike last Test match. Bowling so many maidens did create pressure.”
When one gets a track as spicy as Newlands, a fast bowler’s excited mind can get cluttered and that’s what one needs to control, feels Siraj.
“On these wickets, where the ball is doing so much, often bowlers tend to think, ‘let me try and bowl an outswinger darting from leg to off or get one to bend back from angle but one should just stick to one line.
“If you hit areas, wickets will come automatically, if you try many things, you yourself can get confused,” he observed.
He thanked Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul for constant communication.
“When a senior bowler is operating and there is a wicket-keeper who advises you on what is the correct length, the job becomes easier as there is a lot of communication. When you are hit for 4-5 boundaries, you know what length to switch to.”
So what’s an ideal score that can be chased?
“I can’t predict what will happen on the second day. We have to get them out for as little as possible and we don’t need to think too far as we are still 40 runs ahead and we have to see how many we can get before they take the lead,” he signed off.
(With PTI inputs)