Known affectionately across Indian cricket circles for his fierce competitive spirit and aggressive spells, fast bowler Mohammed Siraj is currently navigating a tough phase in his career. Once feared by top international batsmen for his searing pace and sharp movement, the penetrative edge that defined his bowling has been notably missing in recent outings.
The struggles culminated during the summit clash of the Duleep Trophy 2026, hosted at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where turning out for South Zone, Siraj endured a performance that raised serious questions. East Zone batters capitalized on his wayward deliveries, handing the seasoned pacer an unwanted milestone as runs flowed freely.
Young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, just 15 years of age, alongside experienced campaigner Ishan Kishan, led the charge against the fast bowler. Operating at an expensive economy rate of roughly 5.6, Siraj failed to pick up a single wicket across his spell. Conceding runs at a limited-overs pace in a red-ball first-class fixture highlighted how far he had drifted from his usual disciplined lines and lengths, eventually finishing with figures of 118 runs conceded in 21 overs without success.
This dip in form is not an isolated incident confined to domestic fixtures, as signs of distress were already visible during the Test series against Sri Lanka. On surfaces heavily favoring slower bowlers, Siraj struggled to make an impact, managing only four wickets across two Test matches.
More alarming than the lack of wickets was the noticeable drop in his bowling velocity. A bowler who routinely clocks speeds in excess of 140 kmph found himself struggling around the 125 kmph mark in Sri Lanka. In modern cricket, such a reduction in pace makes life considerably easier for international batters on docile subcontinental pitches.
Several factors appear to contribute to this declining graph, chief among them being physical exhaustion resulting from an uninterrupted schedule spanning the IPL and all three formats of international cricket. This fatigue is widely considered the primary driver behind his reduced speed.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma previously noted that while Siraj remains potent with the brand new ball, his effectiveness diminishes significantly once the ball loses its shine. In search of wickets, Siraj tends to over-pitch or drop deliveries into the slot, giving batsmen easy scoring opportunities.
With upcoming assignments against New Zealand on the horizon, regaining form is critical for Siraj, particularly given the need to manage Jaspreet Burmah's workload. To retain his place in the national setup, the pacer must work on regaining his lost velocity and iron out technical flaws at the National Cricket Academy. Fans will be hoping the speedster can soon rediscover his rhythm and make a strong comeback.
