India pacer Mohammed Siraj, who took 13 wickets including a five-wicket-haul in the recently-concluded India versus Australia Test series, has talked about the team atmosphere after the Adelaide Test where India got all-out for 36 in the 2nd innings and lost the match by 8 wickets.
In an exclusive interview with Sports Today, the 26-year-old said that head coach Ravi Shastri made sure that the dressing atmosphere after the Adelaide debacle is upbeat. Ravi Shastri had told his boys that 36 all-out doesn't happen every day in cricket, adding that it will never happen again.
The Hyderabad-born cricketer also mentioned about the roles of bowling coach Bharat Arun and captain Ajinkya Rahane in his successful Test tour Down Under.
"Ravi Shastri said that 36 all-out happens only once in cricket, it will never happen again. The team atmosphere was brilliant. I know Arun sir since my domestic days, his role has been very important in my career. He knew what I could do. Ajinkya Rahane trusted me and I stood up to his trust. I enjoyed a lot," he told India Today's Consulting Editor (Sports) Boria Majumdar.
Leading the pace attack in Gabba Test was challenging
Further, Mohammed Siraj talked about his experience of leading a young India pace attack. Siraj, only in his third Test while playing in Gabba, was bowling alongside 2-Test old Navdeep Saini and debutant T Natarajan. Siraj said that he was disappointed after taking only one wicket in the first innings but backing and motivation from Bharat Arun helped him in taking his maiden five-wicket-haul in Test cricket.
"It was challenging to lead the pace attack in my third test match. My plan was not to take wicket but to build pressure by bowling dot balls, The plan was to bring the batsman under pressure and make him make some mistakes. I bowled well in the first innings but I did not get much wickets, I was upset in the dressing room. But Bharat Arun sir said that I bowled better than expected, he said my bowling was extraordinary and that I was not being judged for not taking wickets. He said Test cricket is like that, you did not get many wickets today but can get them tomorrow and I got rewarded in the 2nd innings," Mohammed Siraj said.