Mohammad SirajHigh-energy Indian fast bowler who is known for his tireless effort and seam movement, and aiden markramSouth Africa’s aggressive opening batsman has faced defeat in many important test matches. Their contest is a classic Test match duel, pitting the bowler’s ability to extract movement and target the stumps against the batsman’s temperament and willingness to take the short ball. This rivalry is going to be a major element in the upcoming two-match Test series in India, with the first game taking place here The iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata,
Test cricket performance in 2025 before IND vs SA test series
Mohammed Siraj in Test Cricket (Year 2025)
The year 2025 has certainly been the most impressive year of Siraj’s Test career, establishing him as one of the leading fast bowlers in the world and the leading Test wicket-taker for the calendar year ahead of the India vs South Africa series. Siraj has played 8 matches (till October 2025), in which he has taken a total of 37 wickets at an impressive average of 26.91. His performances have been important, especially in two key series: in a tough overseas series England For Anderson-Tendulkar Trophyand a home series against west indies,
In England, he led the Indian attack, and the highlight was his stellar performance in the home series against the West Indies, where he took 10 wickets at an average of 13 in four innings. His bowling this year has been characterized by sustained aggression, exceptional control and the ability to get lateral pace even on non-reactive pitches. He has taken four wickets twice and five wickets twice, including a best performance of 6/70, which has consistently led the Indian team to important successes. His incredible form puts immense pressure on the opposition top order, and he will lead India’s pace attack in the upcoming home series.
Aiden Markram in Test Cricket (Year 2025)
Markram has experienced mixed fortunes in Test cricket in 2025, showing flashes of his attacking ability but lacking consistent, match-winning scores. He has played 8 innings so far this year, scoring 264 runs at an average of 37.7, which is a solid return but perhaps less than expected from a primary Test opener.
Markram’s year was headlined by an extraordinary score: a brilliant 136 World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final against AustraliaWhen he gets forward he demonstrates his ability to take play away from the opposition. Apart from this century, he has not recorded any half-centuries, highlighting his struggle to convert consistent starts into big scores. Markram’s style remains aggressive, with a healthy strike rate of 62.7, which is a key part of South Africa’s Test strategy. However, the South African team will be keenly looking for him to strengthen the top order in difficult Indian conditions, especially against a confident Indian bowling attack, so as to provide the platform for the middle order.
Also read: India vs South Africa 2025: Eden Gardens pitch report, Kolkata weather forecast for 1st Test
Head-to-Head Battle: Mohammed Siraj vs Aiden Markram in Test Cricket
The head-to-head between Siraj and Markram in Test cricket has been highly competitive, with the fast bowler gaining a clear psychological advantage by taking the wicket of the batsman thrice. Markram has scored 32 runs off the 47 balls he has faced against Siraj in Test matches, giving him a respectable strike rate of 68.1 against the Indian pacer, which shows that when Siraj is bowling, he is generally looking to score runs. However, Siraj’s ability to dismiss Markram, especially twice in the 2024 series, underlines his threat.
The key dismissals came during the challenging South African tour of 2023-2024. In the second Test in Cape Town in January 2024, Siraj dismissed Markram in the second innings when the South African opener, who was on a brilliant, aggressive century (106 off 103 balls), had him caught at mid-off. This wicket, although not a cheap dismissal, ended an important innings which was giving South Africa a chance alone.
Siraj has also managed to efficiently stop the flow of runs from Markram in some spells, as evidenced by his low average of 10.7 against him. Markram’s relative success with a high strike rate reflects his intention to not let Siraj stick, but the low average confirms Siraj’s ability to ultimately break his defense or induce foul shots.
Aiden Markram vs Mohammed Siraj Head-to-Head (Test Cricket)
| statistical | 2021 | 2023 | 2024 | Total |
| it goes | 8 | 4 | 20 | 32 |
| balls | 12 | 13 | 22 | 47 |
| Boycott | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Dots | 10 | 12 | 15 | 37 |
| 4s | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 6s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| sr | 66.7 | 30.8 | 90.9 | 68.1 |
| average | , | 4.0 | 10.0 | 10.7 |
