Mohammed Siraj, who was India’s key bowler in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, is currently looking completely out of clues in the ongoing IND vs AUS series. Yes, he has claimed 16 wickets in 4 games to date, but what stands out is that he is being hammered all over the field and has failed to control the runs, with a bowling average of more than 30 and an economy rate touching 4. This clearly shows he is not in good form right now. Along with cricket fans, many experts are also voicing the opinion that the management could look for other options.
Recently, Sunil Gavaskar opened up on how India could make changes for the upcoming 5th Test, stating that Siraj is not performing miracles on the Australian surfaces.
As a result, much of the workload has shifted to Bumrah’s shoulder, which is certainly not a good sign, considering there are many games ahead. The team will look to manage Bumrah’s workload, and with other bowlers being hammered as mentioned, it’s not a positive sign. So, if we assume that the team will look to make changes for the upcoming SCG Test vs Australia, who could be the bowlers in contention to replace Siraj? Take a look at the quality names who could replace him in the IND vs AUS 5th Test.
Prasidh Krishna
One of the first names who could surely replace Mohammed Siraj is Prasidh Krishna. Although the SCG pitch is known to offer more help to spinners in general, the team could still consider using Krishna. In the past, there were reports suggesting that Krishna could get into the playing XI on the Gabba surface, but that didn’t happen, and Akashdeep came into the fold. Krishna is known as a hit-the-deck bowler with decent pace, and his tall stature gives him extra bounce. He doesn’t have much experience in Test cricket, but if Siraj doesn’t make it to the playing XI, Krishna might get a chance to play in the upcoming Sydney Test.
Harshit Rana
Although his pink-ball Test didn’t go as well as every Indian fan had hoped, but in the first Test at Perth, he impressed everyone with his wicket-taking abilities. It’s time for Rana to be called into the attack once again if Siraj gets dropped. The forgettable pink-ball Test saw him struggle with inconsistent line and length, and we saw how he got hammered all over in Adelaide. But, just like Krishna, he is a bowler who can produce wicket-taking deliveries and can capitalise on the Sydney conditions. It will be interesting to see how things comes for him in the upcoming Test.
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