India vs South Africa: 'Wanted to hit one area consistently', Mohammed Siraj on how he rectified mistake from first Test

Mohammed Siraj shone with the ball on Day 1 of the second Test between South Africa and India in Cape Town on Wednesday, registering figures of 6/15 in the first innings. And for Siraj, it was about correcting those mistakes which he had committed in the first Test in Centurion last week. Siraj’s career-best figures in Tests helped India rattle out South Africa for 55 in the first innings, their lowest in the post-apartheid era.

Siraj had registered figures of 2/91 in the first Test. “I realised what I missed in the last game and wanted to compensate and I executed my plans accordingly. I wanted to hit one area consistently and I did that and got reward for it. Wicket looks quite similar to Centurion,” Siraj said at the end of Day 1 on Wednesday.

Siraj and Bumrah shared eight wickets between them as well as four maiden overs, with Siraj bowling three of those. The Hyderabad pacer felt that bowling so many maidens eventually put pressure on the Proteas’ batters.

“We (him and Jasprit Bumrah) bowled in partnerships and bowled many maidens unlike last Test match. Bowling so many maidens did create pressure,” said the 29-year-old.

The pitch at Newlands was a bouncy and tricky pitch on Wednesday, and while bowling on such a track, Siraj felt it’s important for a bowler to stick to one particular line.

“On these wickets, where ball is doing so much, often bowlers tend to think, ‘let me try and bowl an outswinger darting from leg to off or get one to bend back from angle but one should just stick to one line. ”If you hit areas, wickets will come automatically, if you try many things, you yourself can get confused,” continued Siraj.

Siraj acknowledged Bumrah and wicketkeeper KL Rahul for constant communication.

“When senior bowler is operating and there is wicketkeeper who advises you on what is the correct length, job becomes easier as there is lot of communication. When you are hit for 4-5 boundaries, you know what length to switch to.” So what’s an ideal score that can be chased? “I can’t predict what will happen on second day. We have to get them out for as less as possible and we don’t need to think too far as we are still 40 runs ahead and we have to see how many we can get before they take lead,” commented Siraj.

India were all out for 153 in reply to South Africa’s first innings, and when Siraj was asked if he had seen himself walking out to bowl twice on the same day, he came up with a counter question: “Did you think so?”, Siraj chuckled.

“We didn’t think also. We had put our feet up but this is cricket. You see both good and bad things,” said Siraj.

At stumps on Day 1, South Africa were 62/3 with Aiden Markram (36) and David Bedingham (7) unbeaten. The Proteas trail India by 36 runs in the second innings.

South Africa had won the first Test in Centurion by an innings and 32 runs.