Can Mohd Siraj redeem himself in IND vs ENG Test series after BGT flop show?

Mohammed Siraj was supposed to be the second-in-command to Jasprit Bumrah on the Australia tour. To his credit, Siraj was India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, despite picking up 20 wickets in five Tests, Siraj wasn’t as effective as many had expected. That he averaged 31.15 and had a strike rate of 47.15 was proof that he wasn’t at his best. He was shown the door in the ICC Champions Trophy despite Bumrah missing the tournament. And now that the IND vs ENG Test series begins on June 20, Siraj will have a chance to redeem himself.

Many pointed out Siraj’s workload as the reason behind his dip in form. And rightly so, Siraj had bowled 388.1 overs in the WTC 2023-25 cycle, just behind Bumrah. Across formats, he had bowled 557.0 overs. Add IPL to the mix, Siraj has been the most worked pacer from India, surpassing Bumrah. The break helped Siraj get back to form as he picked up 11 wickets in the first seven matches of IPL 2025. However, his form dipped again. He could only manage 5 wickets in the next eight matches.

Siraj in IND vs ENG Test series

Now, he has a chance to redeem himself again. While he is not guaranteed a place in India’s Playing XI with Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Shardul Thakur and Akash Deep in the mix, Siraj will be in contention. On the last England tour, Siraj played the perfect role to assist Bumrah and Shami. The pacer from Hyderabad picked up 18 wickets in nine innings.

Bharat Arun, the former India bowling coach who nurtured Siraj, believes the experience will help him succeed in England. He has backed Siraj to learn from the mistakes.

“Siraj, as I said, with his experience, he is smart. All these years of playing cricket regularly have given him the right kind of exposure. So he’s smart and the way he is bowling right now, he has learnt from his mistakes. I think the more mistakes you make, the better you start, and you become better. He has come out of his comfort zone, gone back to the drawing board, and has kind of managed a few things which he has come out successfully. I think Siraj is all very well prepared to manage that,” Bharat Arun told IANS in an interview.

Will Siraj be Bumrah’s deputy?

In England, India are likely to go with three frontline seamers. While Bumrah will be the constant factor in the matches he will play, the other two options are open for discussion. Prasidh Krishna, IPL 2025’s Purple Cap holder, has been in great form. While he hasn’t played the warm-up matches for India A, he could be one of the three.

That would leave a spot for three players to fight for. Shardul Thakur, with his batting prowess over Arshdeep Singh and Mohd Siraj, will get the advantage. However, Shardul is often looked at as a fourth seamer. Hence, that could push India head coach Gautam Gambhir to opt for Siraj as the third pacer. With his rhythm back, Bharat Arun is backing Siraj to be the second-choice pacer after Bumrah.

Nothing like experience. I’m sure he must have learned a lot from that experience. Bringing that experience to the fore would help him understand those conditions better. I looked at his rhythm and he was getting an exceptional rhythm. So I would say this would probably be an opportunity for Siraj to become a frontline bowler alongside Bumrah,” Bharat Arun said.