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One of India's most consistent bowlers in recent times, Mohammed Siraj celebrates his 29th birthday on March 13. The fast bowler made his debut for the national side in 2017 but only burst onto the scene during India's memorable win against Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy in 2020-21.
Since then, his rise throughout all the formats has been a thrill to witness. Miyaan, as his teammates affectionately call him, is now one of the mainstays in the Indian side. He is currently playing in all three formats, especially after the injury to Jasprit Bumrah, who is regarded as one of the best all-format bowlers in the world.
Mohammed Siraj is certainly following the right path to having his name considered in the same conversation. He has only gone from stride to stride in recent times and could be the country's next-best all-format bowler. Here are three reasons why:
#1 Already the No.1 ranked bowler in ODIs
The likes of Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, and Umran Malik have had plenty of game time in recent white-ball format matches. The pacer from Hyderabad has certainly put his hand up to be the leader of this young bowling unit, leading from the front on most occasions.
His excellent performances earned him a spot in the ICC's Team of the Year for 2022. Since the start of the year, Siraj has picked up 38 wickets in only 20 matches at an average of 18.73.
He was also in fine form during the series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand earlier this year, and will be hoping to carry on this form into the World Cup later this year.
#2 Always developing new skills
When he initially came onto the scene in 2017, Siraj had a lot to like with regard to the pace he managed to generate. Fast forward to 2020/21 in Australia, he had immaculate control over his inswingers against the right-handers, making it his stock delivery that gave him reasonable success.
Recently, he's also developed an outswinger to the right-hander, which leaves the batters a tad uncertain and makes him even more lethal. He has also been shining brightly while taking the new ball, providing the team with early breakthroughs more often than not.
In fact, no other bowler has taken more wickets than the Indian pacer in the powerplay in ODIs since 2022.
#3 Mohammed Siraj has the consistency and determination to be the best
Usually spotted with a smile on his face, the Royal Challengers Bangalore pacer can turn on the heat from time to time. Keeping in tune with the typical fast bowler's stereotype, Siraj has a mean streak to him that reflects in his bowling from time to time.
The aggressive attitude and chatter with the batters aren't just for the cameras, it's a way to keep himself motivated. His determination is evident every time he takes the field, but his consistency is something that he has sincerely worked on as his career progresses.
Simply put, Siraj has a lot of heart in whatever he does and is always willing to contribute to the team. As Kevin Durant once said, "hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard." The 29-year-old from Hyderabad makes sure he isn't compromising on either of the two and has everything he needs to be India's next-best all-format bowler.
