Is Siraj Still Heartbroken Over Lord’s Defeat? 'Series is Not Over Yet'

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Mohammed Siraj remains hopeful despite the loss.
- The fourth Test is crucial for India's series chances.
- Siraj emphasizes the need to focus on batting improvements.
- The emotional impact of the defeat is significant for players.
- India's determination to fight back is unwavering.
Manchester, July 21 (NationPress) With India’s aspirations for their first series victory in England in 18 years now hanging by a thread, the fourth Test set to commence on July 23 at Old Trafford has become a pivotal moment. Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj expressed his lingering sorrow over the 22-run loss at Lord’s.
During the final session on Day 5, Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja were making a commendable effort against the English bowlers, drawing closer to the target. However, an unfortunate mishap occurred when Siraj defended a delivery from Shoaib Bashir, leading to the ball rolling back onto the stumps and dislodging the bail.
“I had taken the final wicket in 2021 as well. I am a very emotional person; it could have been 2-1. Jaddu bhai fought very hard. But I reminded myself that the series is not over, and I will focus on my batting. We have been diligently working on our batting since Australia. The 22-run defeat was truly heart-wrenching,” stated Siraj during the press briefing.
Siraj, now 31 years old, recognized that had it not been for that unfortunate dismissal, the outcome might have been quite different.
“To middle the ball and still get bowled, considering how well we were batting together, I was feeling confident and believed I wouldn’t get out today. But it was unfortunate and heartbreaking because the result could have been completely different,” he lamented.
The Lord’s Test injected intensity into the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, especially as Zak Crawley and Shubman Gill engaged in a heated exchange during the final over on Day 3. This led to Siraj adopting an aggressive stance, sledging the England batsmen in an attempt to disrupt their rhythm.
Siraj shared his mindset during such intense moments: "There are no specific plans for this. While bowling, you enter a different zone; your primary focus is on taking wickets, so you often don’t even realize what you’re saying. You aim to distract the batter — like when I asked Root, 'Where is the Bazball?'"
When questioned about maintaining his aggressive demeanor, Siraj confidently responded with a simple “yes.”