‘My rhythm wasn't quite there’: Mohammed Siraj reveals what went wrong in Sri Lanka

Mohammed Siraj believes a two-month break from competitive cricket was behind the loss of pace and rhythm that affected him during India's recent Test tour of Sri Lanka. The India pacer, however, feels his stint in the Duleep Trophy has helped him rediscover the rhythm he needs before another international season gets underway. Siraj bowled 41 overs for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy final against East Zone at Chepauk, and despite a difficult outing in the first innings, he believes the workload was exactly what his body needed after the lengthy break. During the two-Test series in Sri Lanka, Siraj's pace was noticeably down. Instead of operating in his usual early-to-mid 140s, he was bowling in the late 120s. Across the four innings, he sent down 44 overs but was unable to trouble the Sri Lankan batters consistently, with the spinners naturally taking on the bulk of the workload.

Siraj said the problem began with the abrupt transition from a long break into international cricket. "Coming off a two-month break straight into a match, my rhythm wasn't quite there. I'm purely a rhythm bowler. If I'm not in sync, I simply can't explode through the crease," Siraj told media after the Duleep Trophy final here. The pacer explained that the disruption was particularly evident in his run-up, which affected the momentum he relies on to generate pace. "That was the struggle in Sri Lanka—my run-up felt disjointed. Some strides were too short, others were too long, and that broke my flow and cost me pace," he added. Siraj's two-month break came after the one-off Test against Afghanistan, which ended on June 8. He then returned to action on India's tour of Sri Lanka, which began with a game against SLC XI on August 7.

Long spells help Siraj find his rhythm again

The Duleep Trophy final offered Siraj the chance to put in the kind of workload he felt was necessary to get his body functioning naturally again. "Out here, everything clicked into place, and the pace followed naturally. Yes, it was very tough. We came straight from Sri Lanka, where we spent three and a half days fielding in the second Test (at Colombo), and within a week, we were out here playing in Chennai's sweltering heat. "But for me, it comes down to passion. When you're representing your country, you can't make excuses. You have to give every ounce of effort for your team and nation." Siraj endured a tough first innings, as East Zone's batters attacked him for 140 runs from his 25 overs. He had to wait until the second innings to claim a wicket. But the figures did not concern him as much as getting through a substantial workload. "Even if I didn't get the wickets to show for it today, that hard work will pay off at the international level."

Rhythm, not wickets, was Siraj's priority

Siraj made it clear that his primary objective in playing the Duleep Trophy was not to inflate his First Class wicket tally. Instead, he wanted to regain the fluency in his bowling that had deserted him after the two-month layoff. "Heading into this game, finding that flow was my primary goal. Playing this match helped me tremendously. After two months off, your body doesn't react the same way—everything feels a beat slower. Getting through this game got my body moving again and brought my rhythm right back," he said. The 32-year-old said his body is better suited to sustained workloads than extended periods away from cricket. While the break gave him an opportunity to work on other aspects, including fitness parameters, it also left him feeling sluggish when he returned to bowling. "That's just how my body works. My body doesn't handle long breaks well. A short breather is fine, but in my 10-year career, I had never taken two full months off. So, the more overs I bowl, the better I get. "If I don't bowl extended spells, my rhythm won't return. The break left my body feeling sluggish at the crease. I bowled spells of 10 and 11 overs, and that's exactly what locked me back into rhythm," he noted. The lack of rhythm had also created the impression that Siraj was operating with a shorter run-up. He explained that the issue was not a deliberate change to his approach, but simply his body adjusting after the extended break. "My approach (to bowling crease) relies on fluid, uninterrupted acceleration rather than staccato steps. Coming back after a two-month layoff, my body was just recalibrating its stride lengths. In this match, it all felt completely natural again. "I told myself to forget the outcome and just run in with a good, natural rhythm. The moment I did that, the old Siraj was back in action, and the ball started coming out beautifully," he said.

Siraj also had the opportunity to spend time with former India teammate Mohammed Shami, who represented East Zone in the Duleep Trophy final. Siraj described their interaction as a casual chat, but Shami revealed that he had offered his former bowling partner some advice after noticing that Siraj was struggling to find his natural rhythm in the first innings. "Whenever I interact with guys I've played with or share a good bond with, I focus on their skill. In the first innings, Siraj wasn't quite finding his natural rhythm. "I just reminded him that to get back on top, he needed to return to his core strengths. When your run-up and rhythm are in sync, your line and length fall into place automatically," said Shami.