When the world of cricket talks about fast bowlers, very often it talks about the merit of consistency. The reasoning is simple, what team would not want to have a bowler who is top quality and shows it on a reliable basis?
Players like Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah have been remarkable because of their ability to be a constant when they play, always chipping away with freak consistency. But this is not the only type of bowler in the game. Alongside these metronomes is another factor entirely. The bowler capable of flipping the game in the space of half an hour, for better or worse.
In this morning’s first session against South Africa, Mohammed Siraj took 6-15. In no time at all South Africa were all out for 55, with one man responsible for the fall of 6 of the top seven.
Such a spell is typical of Siraj as a bowler. He can very often be defined by his extremes. In 2023 he became the first male Indian bowler to take four wickets in an over (an ODI vs Sri Lanka where he took 6-21), but also bowled India’s fourth most expensive over in World Cup history (vs Afghanistan).
Bowlers like this are invaluable to the sport both in terms of sporting performance but also viewing entertainment. When Siraj comes on to bowl, there is a slight air of tension as your mind wonders which version of him you are about to see.
This is a bowler with the very rare ability to pull an unplayable spell out of thin air. Some bowlers smother batters with reliability, asking probing, prodding questions with their unerring accuracy. Facing Siraj is closer to a game of Russian Roulette. You know that he could fire at any given point, you just do not know if today is the day.
In this respect, Siraj creates a natural point of comparison with Stuart Broad. Both are fiery personalities and seem to gain an extra yard or degree of movement when they get their legs pumping.
Operating as deputy to all-time greats, they have a unique ability to make their mark by dealing in extremes. Broad’s most famous spell to many is his 8-15 at Trent Bridge, but to others is the 36 runs given away to Yuvraj Singh. Whilst plenty existed in the middle, it is the poles which immediately spring to mind.
Siraj is equally capable of producing magic and madness, always making him a compelling bowler to watch.
