Mohammed Siraj has been facing the heat after his under-par performance against New Zealand in the first Test match at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The right-arm pacer picked two wickets in first innings but remained wicketless in second when India were defending a 110-run target. Siraj has been India's second frontline pacer since Mohammed Shami's injury, but his numbers at home Tests have not been up to the mark.

Siraj has so far taken 80 wickets in 30 Test matches but 61 of those scalps have come in 17 away Test matches in three of the SENA countries (South Africa, England, Australia).

Only 19 wickets after bowling 192.2 overs in 13 home Tests indicate Siraj's struggle in sub-continental conditions, unlike Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, who has been able to take pitch and conditions out of the equation.

However, Team India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has defended Siraj and said he is going through a wicked drought at the moment.

"Siraj bowled beautifully in the second innings. Our last morning was of really high quality. And maybe wasn't a nicking wicket, which is obviously his big strength, particularly to left handers when he moves the ball across. It is probably not the answer you want to hear but there's nothing there to say - like he's not bowling well or his rhythm is not good. And maybe he's just going through a little bit of a wicked drought," Ryan ten Doeschate said in the pre-match press conference.

After Siraj's underwhelming show in Bengaluru, several fans and critics have advised Team India to drop him and include Akash Deep in the playing XI for the Pune Test. However, Ten Doeschate suggested that if Siraj gets another chance he will be doing a couple of things differently.

"But no, no concerns again. I'm sure if he's given the chance here, we've got a few tactical things we wanna work on, coming around the wicket and challenging the stumps a little bit more. But his speeds are good, his accuracy is good. And I thought in the second innings he was excellent," he further added.

Ten Doeschate's message to his bowlers

India will have to play according to the conditions and not against fast bowling in particular, the coach said.

“I don't think specifically to fast bowlers and when the ball is new, but playing a bit more to conditions is something we want to work on,” he said.

“Obviously, that first innings was ridiculously tough with the ball seaming around. There will be other times when fast bowling is the right option to go after it," he added.

Read Also: Pune Test: India hope Siraj gets back to his best against New Zealand

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON !