Debutant pacer Mohammed Siraj on Saturday termed receiving the India Test cap as his life’s “biggest achievement” and said he made it count by focussing on bowling dot balls to build pressure on the Australian batsmen.
Siraj, who lost his father last month when he was already with the Indian team in Australia, claimed two for 40 on the opening day of the second Test after receiving the Test cap from off-spinner R Ashwin.
“When I got the cap, I felt it was the biggest achievement of my life. I gained a lot of confidence speaking with Ajju bhai (Ajinkya Rahane) and Jassi bhai (Jasprit Bumrah),” Siraj, who became the 298th player to play Test cricket for India, told bcci.Tv.
Talking about the role played by Rahane in his success, Siraj said: “... He (Rahane) told me to do whatever I have been doing for India A and domestic cricket. He asked me not to think too much that I was playing for India and bowl my normal stuff.
“I enjoyed a lot bowling with Rahane as the captain. Because he gave me the freedom to bowl the way I wanted and set my own field. He was also motivating me if one or two balls went bad. So, I was getting the confidence with him,” he said in extra innings in Sony Six.
The 26-year-old from Hyderabad said he was itching to get his hands on the ball before stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane introduced him into the attack after the lunch break of the opening day.
“My hands were itching to bowl out there, and after lunch when Ajju bhai told me to bowl, I began warming up. Then he said to me ‘you’ll only bowl for two overs’,” he said.
“After lunch when I came in, it had turned into a batting wicket and my plan was to bowl as many dot balls as possible and build pressure.”