During the recently ended Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, an intriguing statistic started circulating. Mohammed Siraj, who bowled India to a remarkable comeback in the series, was in the spotlight for appearing to perform better when playing without the true pace attack captain, Jasprit Bumrah.
Siraj’s bowling average in Bumrah Tests is 35, with one five-fer. In Tests without Bumrah, he averages 25.1, with four five-wicket hauls to his credit. The number of 25.1 is also significantly lower than the pacer’s lifetime bowling average of 31.05.
What could be the reasons for this weird statistic? Bumrah is one of the best bowlers India has ever produced, and having him as a partner is definitely advantageous for any supporting bowler.
To that end, here are three reasons why Mohammed Siraj appears to perform better without Jasprit Bumrah.
1. Mohammed Siraj’s Extra Gear When Jasprit Bumrah Isn’t Playing
Mohammed Siraj is a cricketer who wears his heart on his sleeve. His revealing the detail during the post-match presentation that he set a basic but strong word as wallpaper of his phone, namely, Believe, to make himself stimulated after India won the fifth Test so dramatically.
Siraj appears to flourish the more he is required to do. In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, he seems to access another dimension of a mindset that drives him to adopt a leadership stance. The psychological aspect of high-end cricket is usually overlooked but the firebrand Siraj with his strength of heart dealing with emotions appears to take the burden on his shoulders in a sensible manner. He is only 31, and it even could be an opening of a new stage of his career, being motivated by belief and the responsibility to lead.
2. The conditions have had a huge say in these figures
In the 25 Tests in which Bumrah and Siraj have competed, the conditions have not been as bowler-friendly as projected. The average run rate in these matches is 3.4, with bowlers averaging slightly more than 31.
Siraj has played eight home Tests without Bumrah. In these encounters, he has bowled a total of 86 overs, with spinners dominating. Had the Hyderabad-born fast bowler been compelled to bowl more, as is typically the case with his senior partner, his numbers could have suffered.
Siraj has also performed away from home at venues like as Chattogram and Mirpur. He did not bowl more than 20 overs in each of his four innings in Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Port of Spain and Brisbane provided him with valuable assistance off the surface.
Variable conditions have played a significant role in Siraj’s seeming good results when playing sans Bumrah.
3. Mohammed Siraj Takes Charge as India’s Pace Leader Without Bumrah
When India needs a wicket and Bumrah is available, they automatically look to him. The onus is therefore on Siraj to create pressure on the opposite end, who isn’t always afforded the ideal opportunities to enter the assault.
Without the ace spearhead, Siraj is considered as the pace attack’s leader and given more opportunity to make an effect. He also bowls more overs, and given his fitness, he is the type of bowler who can perform consistently over lengthy periods of time.
Because there is no deep fast-bowling pool, Bumrah and Siraj’s collective and individual usage are easy to analyse and anticipate. Even if it is difficult to discover reliable evidence indicating that this is the case, devoted fans of the game will undoubtedly see this as a significant component.
