'Mohammed Siraj must be shown his numbers': Sanjay Manjrekar dissects pacer's poor form in India

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar feels that pacer Mohammed Siraj needs to be reminded of his poor form as India fall behind in the three-match series against New Zealand. Siraj is the second senior-most pacer in the Indian squad with Mohammed Shami missing due to injury. However, 30-year-old Siraj picked up just two wickets in the first Test at Bengaluru as India lost by eight wickets.

Even on the final day of the match when Bumrah removed openers Tom Latham and Devon Conway to build pressure on New Zealand during the 107-run chase, the lack of wickets from Siraj allowed the Kiwis to hand on and eventually get to the target in 27.4 overs.

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Manjrekar said that India need more from Siraj and expressed surprise at captain Rohit Sharma giving the pacer seven overs in the final innings when he was out of form.

Manjrekar points out Siraj’s poor form

“Sometimes it can happen that a pacer doesn’t get a wicket because of the surfaces but Bumrah has managed to get wickets. Akash Deep as well, when he has played, he has managed to get wickets. Somewhere you got to put Mohammed Siraj in the spotlight,” Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo. “I love his attitude - the dive that he put in while he was in the middle of the spell, those are things to admire.

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“This Test match has been about fast bowlers bringing their team into the game and that’s where India wanted more from Siraj. He’s an experienced bowler now and I was surprised that Rohit Sharma went to for this reason as well. You might go to Bumrah and if he is not doing well, you might still want him to bowl more because of his track record and recent form, Siraj hasn’t had that, so I was really surprised that Rohit Sharma stuck with him for so long when he had other three spinning options.”

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Siraj has only taken six wickets in his last five Tests. Overall, since the six-wicket haul he took in Cape Town in January 2024, he has only taken 13 wickets in 15 innings.

‘Siraj must be shown his numbers’ 

Former batter Manjrekar said that it is about time the Indian team management made Siraj aware of his poor form and added that Akash Deep could replace him in Pune for the second Test if the hosts pick two pacers.

“All that can be done is maybe give Siraj that impression that we are concerned about form and that should be enough. Because he is a trier and he has got some skills. But somewhere you feel he is flying under the radar a bit with his return and somewhere the team management or anyone has to bring that in focus and that should be perhaps a way to back get him back (to form),” the cricket expert said.

“There are not too many around who you can say are definitely better than Siraj and Akash Deep will come in case there’s anything in Pune for the seam bowlers but Siraj must be shown his numbers of late.”