On August 3, India dealt a heavy blow ahead of their upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka. Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the Test series as he failed to recover in time from his knee injury.
The BCCI quickly revised the squad and named J&K star Auqib Nabi as his replacement. However, the Shubman Gill-led side will certainly miss Jasprit Bumrah, who is India’s 2nd leading wicket-taker in WTC history.
Mohammed Siraj To Lead Pace Attack In Jasprit Bumrah’s Absence
With Jasprit Bumrah missing out on the Sri Lanka tour, the pressure is on Mohammed Siraj, who will lead the pace attack. Interestingly, neither of the seam bowler who are part of the ongoing series has played a Test in Sri Lanka before.
The most recent away Test series without Jasprit Bumrah was against England where Siraj rose to the occasion and helped the Shubman Gill-led side level the series 2-2. Siraj will once again shoulder the responsibility, and this article will shed light on how the right-arm seamer has performed for India without Jasprit Bumrah.
Mohammed Siraj’s Overall performance in Tests
Criteria
Data
Matches
46
Wickets
140
Average
29.74
Strike-Rate
50
If we look at Mohammed Siraj’s stats, then the right-arm seamer has played 46 Test matches. He has 140 wickets, with an average of 29.74. Siraj takes a wicket every 50 balls on average.
He has five five-wicket hauls in his career has established himself as India's premier fast bowler in just five years since making his debut during the 2020-2021 Border Gavaskar Trophy.
Mohammed Siraj’s Test stats with Jasprit Bumrah
Criteria
Data
Matches
29
Wickets
90
Average
32.15
Strike-Rate
53.7
(Mohammed Siraj's Test record in matches involving Bumrah)
With Jasprit Bumrah in the side, Siraj has played 29 Tests, where he played second fiddle. Siraj has 90 wickets in those 29 matches, averaging 32.15 and a strike-rate of 53.7.
It clearly indicates that Siraj himself changes his bowling plans when he plays with Bumrah and looks to create pressure and support Jasprit Bumrah, who remains India's premier fast bowler and the number one wicket-taker in the team.
Mohammed Siraj’s Test stats without Jasprit Bumrah
Criteria
Data
Matches
17
Wickets
50
Average
25.4
Strike-Rate
45
(Mohammed Siraj's Test record in matches that Bumrah has missed)
Without Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj has played 17 Tests in his career and has 50 wickets to his name. His average improves to 25.4, and strike-rate too reduces to picking up a wicket every 45th delivery.
Hence, Siraj is quite clever and adapts beautifully to the team’s requirements. When he is donned with the responsibility, he has given his best as the stats suggest.
Mohammed Siraj's Best Performance Comes Without Jasprit Bumrah
Criteria
Average
Strike-Rate
Overall Stats
29.74
50
With Jasprit Bumrah
32.15
53.7
Without Jasprit Bumrah
25.4
45
The stats clearly shows that Mohammed Siraj has been a better bowler in Jasprit Bumrah's absence. It is great news for team India, because they can rely on Siraj during Sri Lanka series without missing Jasprit Bumrah.
There are several factors behind Siraj's enhanced performance in Bumrah's absence.
Loves Added Responsibility
Siraj has spoken about embracing responsibility whenever senior bowlers are absent
“I love the responsibility. I love a challenge. Because I have seen a lot of challenges in life. And I have come from there. So, I like challenges. And when responsibility comes to me, then I take that thing very well. So, I like it when responsibility comes to me,” were Siraj's words during India vs England 2nd Test in 2025.
Good use of the new ball
Data suggests Siraj is more frequently entrusted with opening the bowling or bowling earlier in an innings when Bumrah is unavailable, allowing him to exploit the new ball more often.
Aggressive mindset
Analysts have noted that Siraj appears more aggressive when leading the pace attack, attacking the stumps and searching for wickets rather than simply supporting Bumrah.
Conclusion
The numbers suggest that Mohammed Siraj performs better when he leads the pace attack rather than operating in a supporting role. With Jasprit Bumrah unavailable for the Sri Lanka Tests, India will once again rely on Siraj to spearhead the bowling attack. If his past record is any indication, he has the ability to rise to the occasion.
To name one, in a crucial series, Siraj was tasked to bowl crucial overs and took the all-important wicket in the fifth Test against England to help India seal a 6 run win and level the series 2-2.
Hence, it is a blessing to have Mohammed Siraj in the team, who plays the dual role brilliantly and turns up for a special occasion in style.
Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah - (Source: AFP)
