Mohammed Siraj is like a lion, important to manage his workload: Assistant coach

India Today

18-07-2025

India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate on Thursday lauded Mohammed Siraj's unwavering commitment and lion-hearted spirit, underscoring the need to carefully manage the pacer's workload to ensure he remains in peak condition. Siraj, who has been a mainstay in India's red-ball set-up, has toiled tirelessly through three consecutive Tests in the ongoing series. While his wicket tally may not always reflect his effort, ten Doeschate believes Siraj's presence brings an edge and energy to the Indian bowling attack that is hard to quantify.advertisement"We take for granted how lucky we are to have someone like that," said ten Doeschate. "I know he doesn't always get the returns you might expect from a fast bowler, but in terms of heart, he's like a lion. Every time he has the ball in hand, you get the sense that something is about to happen."Since the start of 2023, Siraj has played in 24 of India's 27 Test matches - more than any other Indian fast bowler. He has bowled 569.4 overs in this period, the highest among Indians and only behind Australia's Pat Cummins (721.2) and Mitchell Starc (665.1) globally. The figures are a testament to his durability, but they also highlight the physical demands placed on his shoulders.
"He's not someone who's ever going to shy away from a workload, which makes it all the more important for us to manage it carefully," added ten Doeschate. "We've got to make sure he's fit enough to give his best, and that might mean pulling him back even when he's willing to do more."India are yet to finalise their bowling combination for the fifth and final Test in Manchester. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh was in contention for a place in the XI, but an injury sustained during training has complicated matters. "We'll take a call on the combination closer to the match," ten Doeschate said. "Particularly with the Arshdeep situation - he was in the frame, but now we'll have to see how things unfold."The assistant coach also drew parallels between Siraj's unflinching work ethic and that of Ben Stokes, who bowled a heroic spell for England on the final day at Lord's earlier in the series."Siraj is always ready to step up and bowl that extra over, like Stokes did. You don't often come across players with that kind of attitude - and sometimes it's on us, the management, to say 'that's enough', even when he's raring to go."Mohammed Siraj may not always headline the scorecard, but for India, he remains the lion-hearted engine of their bowling attack - relentless, selfless, and fiercely committed. The challenge now is to protect that heart without dimming its fire.- EndsTune InYou May Also Like