Mohammed Siraj, who took 2 wickets in the first innings of his debut test on Saturday, said in an interview with fielding coach R Sridhar: “Maut daal diye bhai.”
The rookie Mohammed Siraj took 2 wickets on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test vs. Australia (AP Image)
HIGHLIGHT
- Mohammed Siraj made his Test debut for India at the Boxing Day Test vs Australia
- Siraj started two vital lands in the first innings
- ‘Haatha to khuja rhe the’: Siraj on hitting the bowling alley after the lunch break
26-year-old pacemaker Mohammed Siraj breathed fire in his debut test match as he bowled against Australia in the Boxing Day Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Saturday. Siraj became the proud owner of the 298th India test cap before the match after senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin did the honors.
Siraj had made the difficult decision to stay with the test team despite the death of his sick father in India. BCCI had confirmed the decision in an official statement, saying that Siraj had decided to continue to carry out its national functions.
The sacrifice paid off when Siraj fired a well-placed Marnus Labuschagne to scalp his first test wicket. Later, he caught 6-foot-seven-inch-tall Cameron Green in front of stumps after preparing him wonderfully with his few previous installments. The Hyderabad-born also took a beautiful inverted cup catch to help Jasprit Bumrah take out Mitchell Starc.
Overall, it was an unforgettable debut for Bumrah. After helping India finish Day 1 high, Siraj in an interview with fielding coach R Sridhar said: “Maut daal diye bhai.” Siraj was replying to Sridhar after he said, “Maza aagya aapko punished me dekh kr, ekdam maut daal diye miya.”
Here are excerpts from the interview:
* On becoming the first Hyderabad-born cricketer after VVS Laxman to debut for India
I was feeling really good. Getting the India Test ceiling is the greatest achievement of my life. I couldn’t bowl until lunch. The bowlers did very well after the drinks. I liked talking to Azzu bhai (Ajinkya Rahane) because he was giving me confidence and Jasprit Bumrah was also by my side. It also gave me confidence.
* About getting to bowling only after the lunch break
Haatha to khuja rahe the. Azzu bhai was telling me that ‘you have to come from this end’. I started to warm up but he told me to wait and Ravindra Jadeja started bowling. Then I also realized that it was good that the spinners were bowling because there was humidity in the field. It was a great help to them. At the time he was confident and even ready to contribute to a final layoff. After lunch, the wicket had become ideal for hitters. My goal then was to throw point balls and create pressure. I also have a wicket in the middle.
* By swinging the ball both ways in the second spell
Sometimes it was close to the stump and rarely shot out from the broad crease. I have natural swingers. I felt really good setting Cameron Green. I threw some internal swingers at him and then external swingers before I threw one at him and took him out.
