London, Aug 4 (UNI) On a morning when India faced a tense final day with just 35 runs to defend, pacer Mohammed Siraj woke up and quietly told himself he could do it. The symbol of that belief? A screenshot from Google that simply said “Believe”—set as his phone wallpaper to reinforce the mindset that powered him through.
“I had a belief system within me. I woke up, saw that image, and said to myself: ‘Main kar sakta hoon’ (I can do this),” said Siraj after India pulled off a thrilling series-levelling win against England.
The Hyderabad pacer, who has shouldered India’s bowling burden across five grueling Test matches, credited his success to simplicity and consistency.
“My plan was simple: just keep hitting the same areas consistently, don’t try too much. If wickets come, that’s a bonus. The main goal was to keep building pressure,” Siraj said, reflecting the maturity he has developed over the series.
Siraj also acknowledged a missed chance on Day Four that could have closed the game earlier—Harry Brook’s dropped catch when he was on 19.
“I thought it was a game-changing moment. If I had taken that catch, maybe we wouldn’t have needed to come back this morning. But full credit to Brook, he played really well,” Siraj admitted.
The emotional arc for Siraj also included redemption. At Lord’s two matches ago, he was the last man out in a heartbreaking defeat.
He recalled words of encouragement from teammate Ravindra Jadeja: “Jadu bhai kept saying, play with the middle of the bat, don’t take too much tension, and remember your father. Think of how far you’ve come through hard work.”
Siraj’s story is not just of wickets and pressure but of belief, discipline, and personal resilience. While former India coach Ravi Shastri joked about a potential promotion for Siraj in the Hyderabad police force, the pacer smiled and said, “I don’t know… I really don’t know.”
From simple plans to silent motivation on a phone screen, Mohammed Siraj’s journey this series has been about more than just cricket. It has been a story of heart.
