Poor show in Sri Lanka was due to long break, feels Siraj
Indian cricketer Mohammed Siraj attributes his recent poor performance to a two-month break from competitive play. He explains that he struggled to regain his rhythm and pace during the Duleep Trophy final.
Why it matters
Workload management and match fitness are central concerns for professional athletes in high-stakes sports.
Following India’s recent Test tour of Sri Lanka, Mohammed Siraj came under scrutiny after an underwhelming performance in the two-match series.
The Hyderabad pacer took just one wicket in each of the four innings. Siraj’s woes continued in the Duleep Trophy final that concluded here on Thursday, where he managed just one wicket in South Zone’s defeat to East Zone.
In the first innings of the Duleep final, Siraj was lacklustre, but he came up with an improved effort in the second essay.
“In the first innings, the pitch looked fresh, so I tried to bowl too fast. Because I was forcing it, my rhythm was off. In the second, I told myself to forget the outcome and just run in with good, natural rhythm. The moment I did that, the old Siraj was back in action, and the ball started coming out beautifully,” he said.
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