Can Mohammed Siraj spearhead India's pace attack in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah?

Mohammed Siraj's story of making it to the national team is an inspiring tale. His story embodies the old saying 'from rags to riches'.

The Indian pacer is currently in red-hot form, scalping 14 wickets in his last five one-day international matches. His rise to the top has come at the right time for India, who were struggling to replace Jasprit Bumrah.

Bumrah, for all his devastating talent and danger, has been rather injury prone in the last few years. He is currently out injured and with India preparing for a big year (including the Asia Cup, World Cup, and a potential WTC final), the team needs a second pacer who can lead the attack. Siraj has given hope that he can be that man.

Born in the city of Hyderabad, Siraj is the son of an auto-rickshaw driver. The youngster did not consider cricket to be a serious career until 2015. Since then, he has not put a foot wrong.

He made his first breakthrough in the 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League and then carried it on, making his first T20I debut against New Zealand. Siraj's main talent lies in his ability to swing the ball late and be deceptive about his pace.

He registered himself as a dangerous bowler in world cricket after his heroics in the 2020 Brisbane Test against Australia. He took a five-fer in the second innings, reducing the hosts to a score below 300, which allowed the visitors to chase down the 328-run target, registering a famous win in the process.

True to his nature, Siraj bowled his heart out in the three Test matches (Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane) that he was a part of in that series. His 13 wickets in his first three Tests in foreign conditions made a statement that apart from being skillful with the ball in his hands, he was also mentally tough to compete against the best. So far, he has 46 wickets in 15 matches in the longest format.

Siraj, despite his wicket-taking abilities, had the knack of going for plenty. This was a cause for concern in white-ball cricket. However, the player has evolved since. He showcased his class against Sri Lanka recently not only as a wicket-taker but also as a leader by strangling the opposition for runs.

Against the Islanders, the Hyderabadi pacer picked up nine wickets in three one-day internationals. He continued his fine form in the first game against New Zealand. While India were taken to the cleaners with the Kiwis scoring north of 330 runs, Siraj returned with figures of 46-4 in his quota of 10 overs.

His body language has always been positive and aggressive regardless of the conditions, the opponent, and the state of the game. His 'on your face' attitude helps him get under the skin of some batters, who end up losing their plot and consequently their wickets to him. His ability to move the ball in flat pitches is a niche skill that can help him in tough conditions.

His surge in confidence of late can be a message to the Indian selectors that Siraj may be ready to be handed more responsibility. With Bumrah not yet back in the fold, Siraj can be considered the leader in the bowling attack and maye even spearhead the same in bigger tournaments.

It also takes the pressure off Mohammed Shami, who is now in his later years. The veteran pacer can then focus on playing second-fiddle and continue doing his damage with the ball. Shami showed in the second ODI against the Kiwis that he is not to be taken lightly. New Zealand made that exact same mistake by focusing on Siraj, which allowed Shami to scoop up figures of 18/3 in his six overs.

With Siraj leading the attack and Shami coming in as the veteran, India can then experiment with the rest of the options. They have plenty in the likes of Shardul Thakur, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya to join the pace battery. Umran Malik can also be a good option but he has to be trained and cared for properly at the moment.

Coming back to Siraj, the pacer has taken 38 wickets in 21 ODIs so far, including two four-fers. His economy rate, which was on the higher end in the beginning, now reads a fantastic 4.6.

Finally, there is also his fitness, which has been a blessing for Indian cricket. He is fit and has shown good fielding skills as well. Overall, he is a delight for any captain and India should seriously consider letting Siraj spearhead the attack, with Bumrah currently undergoing fitness issues.