"Could feel I was not enjoying my bowling...": Siraj opens up on dry home Test season, advice from former bowling coach

Canberra [Australia], December 1 (ANI): Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj on Sunday opened up on his run during the home Test season against Bangladesh and New Zealand, which caused him to lose his enjoyment for bowling and how in Australian conditions during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he is enjoying his art once again, thanks to some words of wisdom from former Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun.
During a total of four matches he played during the home Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, Siraj could take only six wickets. This also included a wicketless outing against Kiwis at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Unable to dominate under spin-friendly conditions, Siraj said that he started thinking deeply about his dry spell and got upset with his performances.
"I could feel that I was not enjoying my bowling, As a person, I am someone who gets a different feeling when I am enjoying my bowling, even if I am not getting wickets. And now when I was not getting wickets, I went a bit deep into why I was not getting them. In India you know that spinners bowl most of the overs, so there it is a little tough to get wickets in the five overs [you get as a fast bowler]. So I just became a bit upset about why I was not getting wickets. But now I am having a lot of fun," he said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo after the pink ball warm-up match against Prime Minister's XI on Sunday, which India won by five wickets.
Siraj, who took a total of five wickets during the Perth Test win which included three wickets in the second innings, has enjoyed bowling in Australia. Making his Test debut in Australia during the previous tour Down Under, he emerged as the top wicket-taker of an inexperienced bowling line-up, with 13 scalps in three matches including a five-wicket haul which helped India seal an inspirational series win with a memorable outing at The Gabba, which was Australia's first loss at the venue in over 32 years.
Siraj, who worked with bowling coach Bharat closely during that series, said that he spoke with his former coach who adviced him to just enjoy his bowling and not chase wickets.
"I spoke with Bharat Arun sir, that this is what's happening with me. Because he has known me for a while and he has seen my bowling from a long time back. So he just told me to enjoy and not run after wickets. Just enjoy and you will get wickets. And before travelling, I met [fielding coach] Dilip sir in Hyderabad and we practiced together as well. So it felt good and now I am enjoying," he said.
Opening on his equation with present bowling coach and South African pace legend Morne Morkel, Siraj said that he calls him a "warrior".
"Morne [Morkel, India's current bowling coach] keeps telling me that 'you are a warrior'. 'You'll get us wickets, but you just keep enjoying your bowling'," said Siraj about Morkel.
In Australia, Siraj has 18 wickets in four matches at an average of 25.27, with best figures of 5/73. He looked solid with the pink-ball at Manuka Oval during the warm-up match, ending the match with figures of one wicket for 18 runs in seven overs, out of which one was a maiden over. He was happy to have got some pink-ball experience ahead of the Adelaide Test on December 6, where he will get to unleash this weapon for the first time ever.
Speaking about bowling with the pink-ball, Siraj said that it has a "synthetic feeling".
"This is different to the red ball we play with. There can be a bit of confusion due to the ball, but it is just one match so we just have to focus on that and practice for it and we will improve day-by-day. The seam is very hard. It is bright and quite big. The more you practice with it, the better you get," he said.
"I think that with the pink ball, it is better to bowl back of length. Because pitching it up, there is not a lot of swing, so the more you hit the deck and get it to seam, it will be better for us."
"I have heard that the ball swings a lot under the lights but I have not yet bowled with it under lights. So when we go to Adelaide and practice, we will try that. And the more practice we get, we will know more about what we have to do," he concluded.
Siraj also said that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah also keeps urging him to enjoy his bowling and not chase wickets.
"I always keep talking to Jassi bhai [Bumrah]. Even before the first match, I spoke with him about what I was going through. And he just told me one thing - do not run after wickets, just keep bowling consistently in one area and enjoy your bowling. If you still do not get wickets, then you come ask me. So I enjoyed my bowling and I got wickets as well," he said.
"Australia is a place where a fast bowler enjoys because you get pace and bounce. As a fast bowler, you get everything you want. So you get a different kind of confidence to come and enjoy your bowling here," signed off Siraj. (ANI)