Warwickshire sign up Mohammed Siraj for remainder of 2022 season
The fast bowler is set to become the sixth India player to feature in county cricket this season
ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-2022Mohammed Siraj is set to play for Warwickshire over the remainder of the 2022 County Championship season. He becomes the sixth India player to be signed by a county team this season, after Cheteshwar Pujara (Sussex), Washington Sundar (Lancashire), Krunal Pandya (Warwickshire for Royal London Cup), Umesh Yadav (Middlesex) and Navdeep Saini (Kent).Siraj is currently part of the India squad that is in Zimbabwe for a three-match ODI series, which began on Thursday in Harare. After the conclusion of the Zimbabwe tour on August 22, Siraj is expected to arrive in Birmingham ahead of Warwickshire’s home game against Somerset, which begins on September 12.
Warwickshire are currently third from bottom on the Division One table, with just one win from their 11 games so far. After their match against Somerset, they are also due to play against Gloucestershire and Hampshire in their push to avoid relegation to Division Two. Siraj will be available for all three matches.The 28-year-old Siraj has established himself as a key member of India’s fast-bowling group in Test cricket since his debut on the 2020-21 tour of Australia, where he finished the series as the highest wicket-taker among the visitors’ injury-hit bowling group. He has played 13 Test matches so far, taking 40 wickets at an average of 30.77. He is also a regular member of India’s ODI attack.Siraj will hope that his county stint will help him in his bid to rediscover his best red-ball form, after a drop-off in his returns during his last two Test tours. After taking just three wickets in two Tests in South Africa at the turn of the year, at an average of 51.00, Siraj had a mixed Test match at Edgbaston – Warwickshire’s home ground – in July, picking up four first-innings wickets but conceding more than a run a ball across two innings as England pulled off a record chase.”I can’t wait to join up with the Bears squad,” Siraj said. “I have always enjoyed playing in England with India and I’m excited to experience County Cricket.”Edgbaston is [a] world-class stadium and the atmosphere it created this year for the Test was special. I’m really looking forward to making it my home in September and hopefully helping the Bears end the season well.”I would like to extend my gratitude to both Warwickshire County Cricket Club and BCCI for this opportunity.”Paul Farbrace, Warwickshire’s director of cricket said: “Siraj is a fantastic addition to the squad and we can’t wait to welcome him to Warwickshire. He is one of the best fast bowlers in the world right now and his knowledge and experience will help bring an added dimension to our line-up.”It’s been clear that we needed to strengthen our bowling attack for the crucial run-in period and I’m excited to see what Siraj can do in these three games.”