‘We failed to recognise Mohammed Siraj. The time has come to recognise him now’
With India in the midst of a bowling transition, Ravichandran Ashwin believes Mohammed Siraj has emerged as the backbone of the Test pace attack—and urged team management to rally around him going forward.
Ashwin has called on head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill to ensure that Mohammed Siraj receives the recognition and care he deserves after playing a pivotal role in India’s thrilling six-run win over England in the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
The 31-year-old pacer picked up nine wickets in the series decider — including a match-winning five-wicket haul in the second innings — to help India level the five-match series 2-2. Siraj also finished as the leading wicket-taker of the series with 23 scalps, stepping up brilliantly in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.
Ashwin, who retired from international cricket in December 2024, said Siraj’s relentless efforts have often gone underappreciated and that it's time Indian cricket fully acknowledges his value.
“We failed to recognise Mohammed Siraj. The time has come to recognise him now. He once again put his hand up; he has given a compelling reason. Just look at his celebration, it seems as if he is saying, ‘This is not the trailer. This is the main picture itself’. He is saying, ‘Please consider me as a match winner’. He is reminding us what a champion bowler he is. His bowling action, his technique and good work ethic are allowing him to play all five Tests in a series,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin also made a strong case for managing Siraj’s workload carefully, even as he projected the Hyderabad fast bowler as the cornerstone of India’s Test attack in the coming years.
“He is also growing old. It is important for the team management to rest him as well from inconsequential matches. He could be your No.1 Test bowler; he could be your go-to Test bowler. We have to rebuild the bowling attack. Akash Deep is there, Prasidh Krishna is there, Arshdeep Singh is there. Around Mohammed Siraj and his experience, we have to build it,” he added.