'Was His First Captain, He Was Always Like This': Ex-CSK Star Hails Mohammed Siraj Ahead of Ind-SA 1st Test

Former CSK player Subramaniam Badrinath praises pacer Mohammed Siraj ahead of India's first match against South Africa. Badrinath hailed Siraj's commitment to the game and recalled that he often had to stop him from over-bowling on a sunny day with no assistance on the pitch. 

In an interview with Star Sports, Badrinath shared, "I was his first captain, and he was always like this. He was born with that ability. Many bowlers, when I was the captain, would hide in the afternoon session, fearing I'd give them the ball. But Siraj is the exact opposite. He'll keep asking me if I can bowl till the time I say, ' It's okay, enough, you can bowl later. ' But any ball under any conditions, hot or cold, he'll give his 100%."
The 31-year-old was the leading wicket-taker in India's Test tour against England, which resulted in a 2-2 draw.

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Subramaniam Badrinath Calls Siraj A "Workhorse" Ahead of India's 1st Match Against SA

The former RCB player believes that Mohammed Siraj is one of the most underrated bowlers who has been a workhorse for India in any given situation. The pacer has managed to pick up more than 130 wickets across the Test format, 73 wickets in the ODI format.

While talking about this, Badrinath revealed, "He's an underrated workhorse. Siraj has bowled the highest number of overs over the last two years in Indian cricket. There's a 100-over difference between him and Bumrah. That's how much he has bowled. Having a bowler like him is a boon for the captain. Even when the ball is old and the pitch is flat, Siraj willingly takes the ball and runs in at 100%."

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Mohammed Siraj Is Confident Ahead Of The South Africa Tests

While speaking to JioHotstar ahead of the Tests, Siraj shared that he is confident about the campaign and emphasized the importance of rhythm instead of results.

He shared, "This series is crucial for the new WTC cycle, especially since South Africa is the defending champion. While they drew 1-1 with Pakistan, we're confident from our own good form, we created a positive environment, performed well in England, and won against the West Indies. Personally, I'm bowling with good rhythm and looking to make the most of it. Facing strong teams helps identify areas to improve, and I'm really excited for this challenge."

Fans can watch India's test series against South Africa on JioHotstar from November 14.