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India bowling coach Morne Morkel has been impressed with Mohammed Siraj’s attitude to give it all to his team. Siraj is the only Indian pacer to play all five Tests on the tour. After Day 4’s play at Kennington Oval, London, which was cut-short due to bad light and rain, Morkel revealed that the team management had a conversation with Siraj regarding his workload.
“Before the start of the Test, there was conversation with him just to check in how he was feeling mentally and how he was feeling physically because of the amount of overs but he was the first guy to say, ‘listen, I want to play this Test match, I want to win it for the team, so not just the bowling front but it's the attitude for me that is great “You've got a guy with an attitude like that and he's willing to run all day, I'm not surprised, that's why he's got the numbers,” said Morkel in the post-day press conference.
Siraj has been leading the pace attack in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence. He is the leading wicket-taker in the series as well. The former South Africa pacer has lauded Siraj for not feeling under pressure and looking it as an opportunity to step up his game.
“When Booms is not there you need to set the tone as a new ball bowler or the first change bowler or a guy who's played, you know, more than 30, 40 Tests, so I think he just enjoys that opportunity when it's given to him and he said it yesterday, I think in an interview, he just loves playing for India and putting the shirt on and performing,” the 40-year-old said.
By the end of Day 4, Siraj had bowled 181.2 overs in the series, two deliveries more than Chris Woakes who is the other pacer to play all five Tests.
Siraj on his workload
Siraj talked about the chatter around workload. He said that he is always motivated to give his 100 per cent for the country.
“I love to play for the country. I don’t think of if I broke down or anything. I think of the match In my mind I keep simple plan. I give it everything. And rest will follow,” Siraj told Sky Cricket.
“Since childhood, why did you play…motivation is to play for India. I don’t fixate on result. Just give 100 percent in the body. When you relax after a tough day, you ask yourself if the answer is yes you have 100 percent, then I sleep well. Zyada nai sochta result kya aaega, kya nahi,” he continued.
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