Siraj endured a tough first innings against East Zone, going wicketless and conceding 140 runs without a response, going at touch under six runs an over. 

"I'm purely a rhythm bowler. If I'm not in sync, I simply can't explode through the crease,” Siraj revealed, before adding, “Coming off a two-month break straight into a match, my rhythm wasn't quite there.” 

Even in Sri Lanka, Siraj was barely effective in Indian Test colours, with just four wickets compared to Prasidh Krishna's seven wickets. Not to forget, the speeds also dropped below 130 kmph.

“That was the struggle in Sri Lanka — my run-up felt disjointed. Some strides were too short, others were too long, and that broke my flow and cost me pace. Out here, everything clicked into place, and the pace followed naturally."

When summoned up to play for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy final, Siraj didn’t think twice, taking up the opportunity to regain rhythm and momentum before India’s long run in Tests, starting with New Zealand in November followed by the Australian challenge in January. 

“Playing this match helped tremendously. After two months off, your body doesn't react the same way — everything feels a bit slower. Getting through this game got my body moving again and brought my rhythm right back,” he said. 

Even for someone who has toiled hard in domestic cricket, the direct switch from Sri Lanka to Chennai was a rather tough one. However, for Siraj, it boils down to ‘passion’. 

“When you’re representing your country, you can’t make excuses. You have to give every ounce of effort for your team and nation. Even if I didn't get the wickets to show for it today, that hard work will pay off at the international level."

However, the 32-year-old kept pushing himself and demanded the ball on multiple occasions despite the sweltering heat. Notably, he delivered a marathon seven-over spell in the second innings, where it looked like everything started clicking together for Siraj again. Across the first five overs of that spell, his figures read: six runs, one wicket, bowling sharp lines and lengths against Ishan Kishan when he walked out to bat. 

"In the first innings, the pitch looked fresh, so I tried to bowl too fast. Because I was forcing it, my rhythm was off. In the second innings, I told myself to forget the outcome and just run in with a good, natural rhythm. The moment I did that, the old Siraj was back in action, and the ball started coming out beautifully."

Siraj also pointed out his inconsistent showing down to the two-month break that he had post Indian Premier League, where he was barely used in the one-off Test against Afghanistan, bowling just 13 overs in the entire clash. 

"Every bowler's body is different, but mine doesn't handle long breaks well. A short breather is fine, but in my 10-year career, I had never taken two full months off. I was working out in the gym and bowling occasionally, but no amount of practice can replicate match intensity. It was a new experience, but a valuable learning curve for me going forward."