Siraj’s evolution as a bowler has been dramatic. Once a hit-the-deck, wobble-seam specialist, he now swings it both ways and nails yorkers under pressure
Archan Mehta
Mohammed Siraj’s spells come with swing, seam, and a side order of adrenaline. From Hyderabad’s dusty lanes to the hallowed turf of Lord’s, his rise is pure cricket folklore. Born to an auto-driver father and a homemaker mother, Siraj had no formal coaching or equipment , just raw passion and a tennis ball. His breakthrough came in the 2015–16 Ranji season, earning him an IPL contract in 2017. But it was his fiery Test debut in 2020 that truly marked his arrival. Backed early by Virat Kohli, who even paid a surprise visit to his home, Siraj’s journey touched hearts, a boy who once only dreamt of a proper roof over his family’s head was now wearing the India cap.
Siraj is no longer just the emotional debutant who cried during the national anthem in Australia , he’s become India’s “lucky charm” overseas. With historic Test wins in Gabba, Centurion, Cape Town, Perth, and Edgbaston, he’s the only Indian to feature in all five. His 6/15 at Cape Town and relentless effort at Edgbaston showed he’s more than just effort , he’s evolution in motion. Yet, he’s retained his street-fighter instincts. His self-belief borders on positive arrogance, and during the 2025 England series, he sent down a staggering 185 overs across five Tests, no fuss, just pure heart. His tireless bowling made him the series highest wicket-taker with 23 wickets. England players dubbed him “Mr. Angry,” but as Joe Root put it, the anger is fake, the fire is real.
In a series packed with storylines, Siraj’s arc was easily the most cinematic. The Lord’s Test was his lowest point , not because of the runs he conceded, but because he dragged the ball onto his own stumps in a critical moment, handing England the advantage. Dejected, he found strength in Ravindra Jadeja’s words: “Remember your father” That lit a fire. Siraj kept pushing, especially in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, and made sure India remained in the fight. Sometimes, his passion boiled over , like when he accidentally bumped into Ben Duckett and got fined, a move Nasser Hussain called harsh. But that’s Siraj: he doesn’t play Test cricket for stats or PR, he plays it like it’s war for his nation.
And then came redemption: pure, poetic, perfect , at The Oval. With India defending 374 and England needing just 35 on the final day, Siraj woke up early and set Cristiano Ronaldo’s “Believe” as his phone wallpaper. Talk about manifesting! He took five in the second innings, including the final wicket , a searing yorker that shattered Gus Atkinson’s stumps. Earlier, he had dropped Harry Brook and stepped over the rope, turning a catch into six , but Siraj doesn’t run from mistakes, he runs through them. That final spell was more than cricket; it was penance. His roar after the last wicket wasn’t just a celebration , it was closure. Fittingly, he finished with his signature “Siu” as India secured their narrowest-ever Test win , by just six runs.
Siraj’s evolution as a bowler has been just as dramatic. Once a hit-the-deck, wobble-seam specialist, he now swings it both ways and nails yorkers under pressure. In the England series, his outswing was so threatening that Shubman Gill hesitated to take the second new ball. He dismissed Atkinson with a yorker and Joe Root with a wobble-seam LBW, proof that he’s no longer just fire, but also finesse. And ironically, he shines the brightest when Jasprit Bumrah is absent. Two of India’s wins in the series came without their pace spearhead, and Siraj stepped up as the leader of the bowling pack. Though he modestly says he’s “not quite Jassi bhai,” the numbers tell a different tale.
As Shubman Gill summed it up perfectly , “Captaincy becomes easy when you have a bowler like Siraj who just grabs the ball and gives it everything.” He may not be a knight in shining armor, but hand him a cricket ball, and he’ll swing dragons out of castles!
Archan Mehta is a writer dedicated to telling compelling stories about athletes, teams, and the world of cricket
