I wanted to stick to Ranji Trophy line and lengths: Siraj

India pacer Mohammed Siraj said he was clear about his preparation for the shortest format on his return to T20Is after June 2024, adding that sticking to the line and lengths he bowled in the Ranji Trophy was his plan against the USA in the T20 World Cup opener. Siraj, who was not part of India’s build-up to the World Cup which got underway on Saturday, returned to the squad and the playing eleven to take 3/29 in the hosts’ 29-run victory at the Wankhede Stadium.

“The emotions are always there because as a player when you are playing in a World Cup, the dream is different as a professional as well for the tournament,” Siraj told reporters after the match. “I was coming off the Ranji Trophy, so my line and lengths when we were batting it was not easy to hit the new ball and it was important to stick to the wicket-to-wicket (length) and if you got wickets, it would be good for the team. So that was the plan and I was able to execute and got the wickets as well¦”

Siraj, who came into the squad as a last-minute replacement for an injured Harshit Rana, said he did not think he would get into the playing XI immediately but the experience of captaining Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy helped. “First of all, I did not know I would play. I was happy being called-up but I got to know in the morning that I am playing, so I was a little more excited because I had only arrived yesterday (Friday),” he said.

“The way I was playing in the Ranji Trophy, I was captaining (Hyderabad) as well, so I wanted to keep myself calm and I was only thinking about how I can put pressure and attack. Whatever I could think of, I was able to execute. “Of course I watched the videos after arriving here at 3:00pm. Without any preparation you cannot take the field, it is a World Cup after all.”  Siraj, who revealed he still has the Cristiano Ronaldo wallpaper on his phone which he had famously shared during the England tour, said he knows how to prepare for the format despite not playing regularly.

“The wallpaper is still the same. You have to be mentally ready a lot, especially when you are playing in a World Cup. I am nearing 10 years of playing for India, so when you are getting the opportunity you do not need that much time,” he said. “As I am playing regularly for India, I know how I have to prepare myself for the format and what mindset to keep. When I went to bed last night, the plan was to use my weapons and I will stick to those (plans) with which I have got success.”

Siraj said the wicket was two-paced as India slipped to a precarious 77/6 at one stage in the first half, but the dressing room never felt the pressure of the situation. “Ishan (Kishan) said it was a two-paced wicket and we had lost wickets (at the start). We thought 170 would be a very good score because there was not much dew and we thought taking as many wickets as possible in the powerplay would put the pressure on the opponent,” he said.

 

“The execution was good, Arshdeep (Singh) bowled well which resulted in a lot of pressure being created.” Siraj said the dressing room was calm because skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who struck a match-winning 84 not out from 49 balls, was in the middle. “We were calm because Surya was playing and he knows the wicket. He is from Mumbai and he said ‘I am here, do not worry’,” Siraj said. “The kind of batter that he is, he plays on his instincts. He plays around with the field. The bowler had put off-side field and bowled a wide yorker and fine-leg as well as the square-leg were inside.

“He thinks about playing around with the field, so it is important to trust your belief and the way he bats it is always difficult as a bowler. Hats-off to him, because so many wickets had fallen early but he remained calm, it is not a (bilateral) series, it is a World Cup and in such a big event to play such an innings, truly hats-off to him.”  Siraj added that opener Abhishek Sharma could not be on the field for long during the second half due to an upset tummy. “He just had a little tummy upset, but I am sure he will show his magic in the next match,” Siraj said.