Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj produced a scintillating new-ball burst in Saturday’s Indian Premier League (IPL) victory against Gujarat Titans to ease concerns over his form ahead of the T20 World Cup in June.
The 30-year-old, who has been picked in the 15-member India squad for the T20 showpiece, to be co-hosted by the United States and West Indies, has struggled for form and rhythm in the ongoing IPL.
Siraj showed what he is capable of with the new ball against Gujarat as he dismissed opener Wriddhiman Saha and rival captain Shubman Gill in successive overs to help bundle out Gujarat for 147.
Bengaluru won by four wickets with 38 balls remaining and are now seventh in the points table following their fourth win in 11 matches.
“I haven’t bowled with the new ball too much this season,” Siraj, who was adjudged player of the match for his figures of 2-29, said.
“But this felt great because that new ball is my strength.
“Last year I did really well with the new ball, I got a lot of wickets. Today’s performance brought back memories of last year.”
Siraj is one of the three specialist fast bowlers in India’s World Cup squad, and the right-arm quick was rested from the home game against Sunrisers last month.
“I had been playing red-ball cricket for a long time, and then suddenly a shift to white ball was not easy,” he said.
“I was lacking in rhythm initially. I felt something was lacking. But as I kept on practising, I got my rhythm back.”
Bengaluru assistant coach Adam Griffith was pleased with Siraj’s return to form.
“Siraj is a rhythm bowler. He’s the leader of our group,” Griffith said.
“He’s such an important part of what we’re trying to do.
“So, having him up and going, swinging the ball again, bowling with good pace, and being aggressive is so important.”
Meanwhile, Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar credited Siraj’s resilience for his return to wicket-taking form.
“Every time you see Mohammed Siraj, you know that he’s going to give his heart out. Remember the time when his father passed away when he was in Australia. He carried on,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports Cricket Live.
“A lot of people would want to go back because your parents are so dear to you. But I think he realised that playing for India was important. Also, he was not established at that stage. An established player would 100 per cent have gone back.
“And remember how spectacularly he bowled in that Gabba Test match. Getting somebody like Steve Smith out when he was on 55… so this is the real strength of Mohammed Siraj, the self-belief and the never-say-die attitude on the field.”