Things didn't go as planned for Mohammed Siraj, as the pacer leaked runs in crucial moments during the first Test vs. England at Headingly, Leeds.
On a flat Headingly track, Siraj struggled to pick wickets. He bagged two in the first innings but went wicketless in the second, giving away runs at an economy of more than four.
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Being the senior-most bowler in the squad after Jasprit Bumrah, Siraj was expected to step up in support of his compatriot, who kept building pressure from the other end. But that has not happened yet.
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin decided to offer advice to Siraj that could help India in the Test series.
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What did R Ashwin say about Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah?
The former Indian off-spinner mentioned that Siraj needs to be more consistent with his line and length to restrict the English batters from scoring runs.
Siraj gave away 178 runs in both innings, which also contributed to India's loss. Ashwin suggested that if he can work on leaking less runs, it will help reduce Bumrah's workload as well.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said, "My only question to Siraj is... can you dry up the run flow? You don't have to pick up wickets. But can you not give away 4-5 runs every over? If runs are being leaked, then you have to bring Bumrah back into the attack. How many dams will Bumrah be able to construct."
"Also, he gets tired, and his spells are pushed, and by then, partnerships are forged. Or you'd have to go with Jadeja, who has to step in and stem the flow of runs. Prasidh is playing for the first time, and he is inexperienced. So Siraj has to play the bankable role," Ashwin added.
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The former spinner further referenced Morne Morkel, as he wants Siraj to follow the path of the South African bowler in Tests to maximize his effectiveness.
"Remember how Morne Morkel used to bowl 2/43 in 20 overs? That should be his role. In Bazball, you could go for 2/58, I guess. Siraj has to play that role, and if he is effective in it, then it would make a huge difference."
"I agree that wicket-taking is important in Test cricket. But in Test cricket, you also bowl for one another. Ishant Sharma used to do it wonderfully. He played the Morkel role very well. He would hold the pressure on one end, and would have given just 40-odd runs after an entire day's play. Of course, I am not asking Siraj to do the same, but regulate the leakage of runs," Ashwin added.
Bumrah is likely to miss the second Test at Edgbaston, which implies that Siraj, the most experienced bowler in the lineup, must take on added responsibility if India wants to make a comeback in the series.