‘He was angry because I…’: Ajinkya Rahane recalls when Mohammed Siraj got upset during his captaincy

Rahane reveals how Mohammed Siraj got angry during his captaincy. (BCCI Photo)

Mohammed Siraj was the standout performer of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, finishing as the highest wicket-taker in the five-Test series. The right-arm pacer claimed 23 wickets, playing a pivotal role in India’s thrilling six-run victory over the hosts in the decisive final Test at The Oval.

In a stunning display, the 31-year-old bagged five wickets in England’s second innings, powering Shubman Gill’s India to a miraculous, against-the-odds win that squared the series.

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Siraj's wrath and aggression brings out the best in him, according to Ajinkya Rahane, who led India to a historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy victory in Australia in 2020–21.

Siraj made his Test debut under Rahane in the historic 2020–21 series, which India won 2-1, against Australia. Anecdotally, Rahane revealed how Siraj was upset about one of his captaincy decisions in his debut series.

“What I like about Siraj is that he always liked to bowl longer spells. Even in the 2020-21 series, he was willing to do that with the same intensity. In Australia, when he was making his debut, he was angry because I had introduced him into the attack very late,” said Rahane on his YouTube channel.

“He still has the anger inside him. This anger brings out the best in Mohammed Siraj. We saw in the England series. The aggression in his bowling and the intensity with which he bowls, he is always warmed up by the time he bowls his first ball. This is the great quality of a great bowler," he added.

The fact that Bumrah would only play three Test matches in order to manage his workload was well known before the series against England even started. Siraj stepped up to lead the pace attack in the two Test matches that the top Test bowler didn’t play.

Siraj bowled over 185 overs in the five-match series. Even without Bumrah, Siraj returned with six wickets in the opening innings of the second Test match at Edgbaston.

“Sometimes, other bowlers take 8-10 balls to warm up. Some bowlers take two balls to do so. But Siraj is always there. Just like James Anderson, he is always there from ball no.1. Even when he is bowling his eighth or ninth over in the spell, he still has the same aggression and intensity,” said Rahane.

“I have noticed one change in him; he is confident about his own fields. When a bowler tells the captain, ‘Give me this field’, then it becomes really easy. In this series, the responsibility helped him when Jasprit Bumrah was not there,” he added.

Siraj's performance in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy helped him climb to 15th place in the most recent ICC Test Rankings. Siraj won Player of the Match in the Oval Test as well.