mohammed siraj

“This Is Not A Test Match”: Kapil Dev Schools Rohit Sharma Over Jasprit Bumrah’s Role

Danijones5 months ago03 mins

India legend Kapil Dev has questioned the Indian management on not opening the bowling with spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. Following Sunil Gavaskar’s criticism on the same issue, Kapil Dev has also joined in. In both of India’s games – and Ireland and Pakistan – it has been Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj who’ve taken the new ball. However, it’s Jasprit Bumrah who has taken the Player of the Match award in both games. After his heroics against Pakistan, shoutsfor Bumrah to open the bowling have increased. “He needs to bowl the first over, he is a wicket-taking bowler,” said Kapil, speaking to ABP News. “If you make him bowl the fifth or sixth bowler, the game can slip out of your hands,” he added. The context to the criticism comes from the fact that India were defending a small total of 119 against Pakistan, and not opening with their deadliest pacer could have left them in a poor position. Bumrah turned the game in India’s favour towards the end, picking up three crucial Pakistan wickets: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed. He ended with figures of 3/14. “This is not a Test match. This is T20. The quicker you take wickets, the more pressure it puts on the opposition,” said Kapil, India’s leading fast-bowling wicket-taker in Tests. “It is better to have a positive mindset. If Bumrah opens the bowling and picks up a couple of wickets, life becomes easier for the other bowlers as well,” said Kapil. Kapil hailed Bumrah for having exceeded expectations and achieved the status of the best bowler in the world. “We didn’t think he’d be able to play so much cricket, because his action and the way he runs puts pressure on his body and shoulders. But he has proved all of us wrong,” lavished Kapil about Bumrah. India face hosts USA at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, June 12, with the winner booking a place in the Super 8. Topics mentioned in this article

T20 World Cup: Want Jasprit Bumrah And Arshdeep Singh To Lead India’s Bowling Attack, Says Ex India Star

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

Former India cricketer Rahul Sharma wants Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to lead the Indian bowling attack in the upcoming T2O World Cup in the USA and West Indies with Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja in the spin department. The much-awaited T20 World Cup 2024 is set to begin on Sunday (as per IST) with co-host the United States taking on Canada in the tournament opener in Texas. India will take on Ireland in their T20 World Cup opening match in New York on June 5 before the high-octane clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 9. The Indian squad includes four spinners (Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel) and three pacers with two all-rounders. Chahal is making his comeback in the Indian team after July 2023 and was in red-hot form in the IPL 2024. With slow and turning drop-in pitches in the USA, Sharma thought that Jadeja along with Kuldeep would be a much better option than Axar and Chahal. “We don’t know how the pitches in the USA will behave but as far I know the conditions there and some of the reports that are coming I will field Kuldeep Yadav along with experienced Ravindra Jadeja in the spin department and will want Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh to lead the Indian bowling attack,” Rahul Sharma told IANS at the inaugural event of Team India Champions. “With four bowling options, and Hardik Pandya or Shivam Dube as all-rounder and fifth bowling option the Indian squad will look balanced and it will be easy for skipper Rohit Sharma to use the bowlers,” he added. When asked about who he would like to see as the finisher role for the Indian team, Rahul Sharma said, “Seeing the way Shivam Dube has batted in this edition of IPL, especially against spinners it was amazing to see and also, he can be used as a bowler too. He dominated against spinners, batted sensibly against pacers, and didn’t look in any trouble. “So, for me, he must be given the responsibility of finishing the matches. And also we have Rishabh Pant in the middle, who has the ability to change the match from any point, so I don’t think there is any concern in the bowling department, and I hope that they dominate,” he concluded. India will face Bangladesh in a warm-up match on Saturday at the newly-built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in the USA, which is scheduled to host eight matches of the marquee tournament, including three games of India. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash, penciled for June 9, will also be hosted at this venue. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

‘I prefer Arshdeep over Siraj in the death because of…’: RP Singh on India’s fast-bowling combination in T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Danijones5 months ago06 mins

NEW DELHI: Former India pacer Rudra Pratap Singh believes that Punjab Kings didn’t utilise young Arshdeep Singh effectively during the recently concluded IPL. However, he thinks that the left-arm pacer can prove to be very effective during the death overs at the T20 World Cup, especially alongside Jasprit Bumrah.Arshdeep managed to secure 19 wickets from 14 games in IPL, but his economy rate of 10.03, largely due to facing ‘impact player’ onslaughts, left him somewhat disheartened.RP Singh, who was India’s bowling hero in the 2007 T20 World Cup in South Africa, stated his preference for Arshdeep over Mohammed Siraj for the upcoming tournament.“If we assess Arshdeep on the basis of his IPL performance, I think he hasn’t been utilised well,” RP Singh made these comments in response to a PTI query during a promotional event where the Indian team’s jersey was unveiled for the inaugural World Championship of Legends.“The utilisation of the bowlers also depends on their captain, in which conditions he uses them, in which situation he makes them bowl and how best that he thinks his bowler is.”RP Singh feels that the wicket at Nassau County will be on the slower side and suggests that Arshdeep, instead of bowling pacey length deliveries, should focus on using cutters effectively.“Talking about the length on the tracks in the USA during an early morning start, as per my understanding, there should be a bit of slowness in the wicket. So, the ideal length will be somewhere around just short of good length.“There will be not a lot of swing for the bowlers but the bowlers with variations, not only just yorkers but also slower ones, leg and off cutters. These deliveries will be utilised a bit more by Arshdeep, so the success rate will be automatically higher for him and that’s what I understand about the wickets in the US.”RP also believes that Jasprit Bumrah should ideally bowl three overs in the back-10, as it would apply significant pressure on the opposition batting unit.“Death bowling is really important in T20 cricket. Bumrah may bowl three overs in the death overs. He is our mainstay there. My preference alongside Bumrah in the death is Arshdeep over Siraj because of the variations he has. I think Siraj can be impactful in a game when he is bowling with the new ball. Otherwise, it should be Bumrah and Arshdeep.”Arshdeep’s left-arm action naturally creates challenging angles for right-handed batsmen, making him a crucial asset. Having another left-armer like Khaleel Ahmed in the World T20 reserves adds depth to the bowling unit.“Left arm pacers are always an advantage especially against right-handed batters. It is not like two or more left-arm seamers can’t play together. Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and I have played in multiple games together.”For achieving the perfect balance, it’s crucial for Hardik Pandya to bowl his full quota of overs. This would provide the team with the flexibility to field three specialist spinners, potentially allowing Yuzvendra Chahal to join Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja in the playing eleven.“Hardik bowled in the IPL and bowled four overs so there’s no injury scare. Hardik’s bowling will be important and he will have to bowl all his quota of 4-overs. If Shivam Dube bowls too, then it will be an added advantage for India ahead.“Shivam may not play some matches initially but whenever he plays, he will perform well and score runs for India.”(With PTI inputs)

T20 World Cup: India look to assess pitch and second fast-bowling option in only warm-up game | Cricket News

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

NEW DELHI: Yashasvi Jaiswal will strive to contribute to the team’s combination puzzle with a valuable performance, while Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj must showcase their best efforts during India’s sole T20 World Cup warm-up match against Bangladesh before their tournament opener on June 5.Despite all 15 players being regular starters for their respective IPL teams, the squad boasts an abundance of talent.However, discovering the optimal combination will be crucial to ending India’s 11-year international trophy drought.In the warm-up game, it is anticipated that all 14 players, except for Virat Kohli, who is expected to arrive sometime before the practice match, will be given an opportunity to play, as the game does not have official status. This will provide a chance to assess each player’s form after most of the core team members enjoyed a two-week break.Captain Rohit Sharma and departing head coach Rahul Dravid will need to make two critical decisions. Even if Jaiswal is in good form, integrating him into the team will be challenging, as it would require leaving out a power-hitter like Shivam Dube from the playing XI.It is a foregone conclusion that Jaiswal might have to sit out, allowing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to open the batting. This decision could also create an opportunity for Dube to feature later in the tournament.“Shivam Dube is a six-hitting machine. He can be the ‘x-factor’ in the T20 World Cup. But if Shivam has to be in the XI, then you can’t play Yashasvi. Rohit has to take that call and I prefer both pace-bowling all-rounders in the XI. If Shivam plays, he can take on the opposition wrist spinners in the latter half,” Suresh Raina, one of India’s premier T20 batters of his time, said on Friday when asked about a possible combination.India’s second challenge will be identifying Jasprit Bumrah‘s opening pace-bowling partner. Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj have been inconsistent in the IPL, and their performances have not met expectations.RP Singh, a key player in India’s victory in the first edition, believes that Hardik Pandya‘s four overs will be crucial. Furthermore, he suggests that Arshdeep should be the second frontline pacer on the newly-installed drop-in pitch.Discussing the ideal length to bowl on the US pitches during early morning starts, Singh emphasized the importance of variations, which make Arshdeep a better bet compared to Siraj.“As per my understanding, there should be a bit of slowness in the wicket. So, the ideal length will be somewhere around just short of good length. There will not be a lot of swing for the bowlers but the bowlers with variations, not only yorkers but also slower ones, leg and off cutters…,” RP replied to a PTI query during a promotional event in Delhi.“These deliveries will be utilised a bit more by Arshdeep, so the success rate will be automatically higher for him and that’s what I understand the wickets in the US,” he explained.Facing Bangladesh on a pitch that offers less pace, India’s middle-order batsmen will be tested by the spin duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Mahedi Hasan. Additionally, they will need to find answers to the variations posed by cutter master Mustafizur Rahaman.(With PTI inputs)

T20 WC Warm-Up: Chance To Test Track And India’s Second Pace Option

Danijones5 months ago06 mins

Yashasvi Jaiswal will aim to add his bit to the combination conundrum with a handy contribution while Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj need to put their best foot forward during India’s only T20 World Cup warm-up game against Bangladesh ahead of their tournament opener on June 5. With all 15 cricketers being regular playing XI members of their respective IPL franchises, the team is certainly not short on game time but an assortment of 15 high- calibre players and finding that perfect combination will be key to ending India’s 13-year global trophy drought. In the warm-up game, it is expected that save for Virat Kohli, who is expected to touch down some time before the practice game, all other 14 players will be given a go as it doesn’t have an official status. It will be an opportunity to check everyone’s rhythm after most of the core team members enjoyed a two-week break. There will be two areas where skipper Rohit Sharma and outgoing head coach Rahul Dravid need to take a judicious call. Even if Jaiswal is in good nick, how to fit him in the side will be an issue as it would mean keeping a power-hitter like Shivam Dube out of the playing XI. It is a foregone conclusion that Jaiswal might have to sit out as it would not only allow Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to open but could also open the door for Dube at the back end of the tournament. “Shivam Dube is a six-hitting machine. He can be the ‘x-factor’ in the T20 World Cup. But if Shivam has to be in the XI, then you can’t play Yashasvi. Rohit has to take that call and I prefer both pace-bowling all-rounders in the XI. If Shivam plays, he can take on the opposition wrist spinners in the latter half,” Suresh Raina, one of India’s premier T20 batters of his time, said on Friday when asked about a possible combination. The second teething problem for India would be to find Jasprit Bumrah’s opening pace-bowling partner. Both Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj have blown hot and cold in the IPL and their form has left a lot to be desired. RP Singh, one of the heroes of India’s inaugural edition victory, feels that Hardik Pandya’s four overs will be very important. Besides, he feels that Arshdeep should be the second frontline pacer on the newly-laid drop-in track. Talking about the length to be bowled on the tracks in the US during an early morning start, he felt variations will be important, which make Arshdeep a better bet compared to Siraj. “As per my understanding, there should be a bit of slowness in the wicket. So, the ideal length will be somewhere around just short of good length. There will not be a lot of swing for the bowlers but the bowlers with variations, not only yorkers but also slower ones, leg and off cutters…,” RP replied to a PTI query during a promotional event in Delhi. “These deliveries will be utilised a bit more by Arshdeep, so the success rate will be automatically higher for him and that’s what I understand the wickets in the US,” he explained. Against Bangladesh on a slowish track, it would also be a challenge for the middle-order as to how they deal with Shakib Al Hasan and Mahedi Hasan apart from questions asked by cutter master Mustafizur Rahaman. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

Mohammed Siraj’s form crucial for RCB: Griffith | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago05 mins

BENGALURU: It wasn’t a typical M Chinnaswamy stadium strip on Saturday night — the wicket was two-paced, and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s bowling too wasn’t akin to their display in the Indian Premier League thus far.Their bowling attack, pace in particular, was characterised by discipline, lengths were rarely off the mark and the lines spot on.Most importantly, their lead bowler, Mohammed Siraj, was back in the groove, tormenting the hapless Gujarat Titans batters in the powerplay.Siraj was dropped for the run-fest against Sunrisers Hyderabad last month and the 10-day break seems to have rejuvenated the 30-year-old. The World Cup-bound pacer has found his rhythm and although RCB are seventh on the points table with three games in hand, it isn’t out of place for them to fancy an outside chance of making the playoffs.In the last two wins — both coming against Gujarat — the bowling in powerplay has been the key for Faf du Plessis and his men. Admitting that the team has been able to address the problem area, Adam Griffith, the RCB bowling coach, said, “The start of the tournament wasn’t great for us, especially in the powerplay and that is something we focused a lot on recently to make sure we work really hard to get better starts. It was good to see the hard work pay off.”Siraj, at the start of the day, was a doubtful starter.“I wasn’t feeling well. When I woke up in the morning, I thought I wouldn’t be able to play and should rest. But I manifested what I wanted to do and that’s exactly what happened,” he said after the four-wicket win.The Bengaluru-based franchise headed to Goa for a break after their nine-wicket win over the Titans in Ahmedabad last week and the rest seemed to have worked well for the team.Outlining the shift in the bowling approach, Griffith revealed, “We’ve swung the ball all tournament upfront. What we’ve done in the last couple of games is we’ve bowled a better line. We talked a lot about bowling straighter and attacking the stumps as much as we can to challenge the batters’ defence and make them play aggressive shots. If they want to come hard at us, it’s a challenge for them to do. The boys put it exactly where we wanted them.”While RCB’s spin attack is undercooked and the pacers have been under the pump, Griffith said Siraj’s form was crucial for the team.“He’s the leader of our group. He’s our most experienced bowler and played a lot for India over the last few years and done really well. It’s not just him bowling well but it’s his aggression, it’s his body language and it’s his taking the batters on to try and get wickets. 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 is important,” pointed out the 46-year-old.

“Had Immense Pain In My Stomach”: Mohammed Siraj’s Big Revelation After RCB’s Win Over GT

Danijones6 months ago07 mins

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pacer Mohammed Siraj revealed that he was suffering from severe stomach ache ahead of his side’s Indian Premier League (IPL) game against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Saturday, but still played the game with ICC T20 World Cup tournament in his mind and with the “power of the almighty”. Siraj played a crucial role in RCB’s four-wicket win over GT in Bengaluru on Saturday. His spell of 2/29 played a crucial role in bundling GT out for 148 runs, which was chased down by RCB with 38 balls to spare. Speaking in a video by the IPL featuring teammate Yash Dayal, Siraj said, “I felt I would not be able to play the game today. I had immense pain in my stomach and also loose motions so I thought there was no chance I would be playing. But I thought that since there is a T20 World Cup around (from June 1 onwards in the West Indies and the USA), getting game time will be very important and good for me. I did not have the energy to bowl with this intensity but maybe the almighty gave me the power.” In 10 matches of IPL 2024, Siraj has taken eight wickets at an average of 44.00, with the best bowling figures of 2/26. The pacer also talked about his bond with star batter Virat Kohli and how it helps him with his bowling. He said that good communication with a legend like Virat reduces half the difficulty for the bowlers. “Virat has known me for eight years now and he always gives handy advice on what to do in a particular situation. He also asks me as a bowler what I am thinking can be done and accordingly let us me execute my plans as well. When you have good communication with such a legend of the game then half the difficulty gets reduced straightaway as a bowler,” he said. Siraj lauded Yash for his bowling with the new ball and said that his performance will do his confidence a “world of good”. “Yash was very good for Gujarat as well and he has come here and continued to do well. He bowls well with the new ball and it will do his confidence a world of good. When you perform in tough situations, it gives you more confidence as a bowler,” he said. In 10 matches of IPL 2024, Dayal has taken 10 wickets at an average of 33.80, with the best bowling figures of 2/21. Dayal also said that he carried the confidence he got from domestic cricket. “I was observing while fielding that where they were hitting their shots. So setting a field against that, I just backed myself to execute my plans and they came off well,” he concluded. Coming to the match, RCB elected to field first after winning the toss. GT was 19/3 at one point. Then, a 61-run partnership between Shahrukh Khan (37 in 24 balls, with five fours and a six) and David Miller (30 in 20 balls, with two fours and two sixes) helped GT make a brief comeback. RCB kept taking regular wickets and once again reduced GT to 87/5. Then, a 44-run partnership between Rahul Tewatia (35 in 21 balls, with five fours and a six) and Rashid Khan (18 in 14 balls, with two fours and a six) took GT beyond the 100-run mark. RCB bundled out GT for 147 runs in 19.3 overs. Yash Dayal (2/21), Vijaykumar Vyshak (2/23) and Mohammed Siraj (2/29) were among the top bowlers for RCB. Cameron Green and Karn Sharma took a wicket each. Coming to the run chase, RCB started off brilliantly with Faf Du Plessis (64 in 23 balls, with 10 fours and three sixes) and Virat Kohli (42 in 27 balls, with two fours and four sixes) putting up a 92-run stand. After that RCB lost its way due to a fantastic spell from Joshua Little (4/45) and Noor Ahmed (2/23). However, Dinesh Karthik (21*) and Swapnil Singh (15*) guided the team to a four-wicket win with 38 balls left. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

IPL 2024: Mohammed Siraj rekindles love with the new ball

Danijones6 months ago07 mins

Mohammed Siraj loves the new ball. You could see that from the twinkle in his eyes when he was choosing the ball from a pack of kookaburras held by the fourth umpire before the IPL match against Gujarat Titans on Saturday. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Mohammed Siraj celebrates a wicket during the match against Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League 2024 (ANI ) It’s difficult to say why. For the new ball hardly swings in a T20. It’s more understandable in ODIs where some of Siraj’s best spells have come with the new ball. His 6/21 in the 2023 Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka stands out. Siraj bowled with the new ball all through last year’s ODI World Cup, except the final. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Some bowlers simply like the feel of a shiny ball more. Hear Siraj talk and he never hides his preference. Making the most of a M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch which had bounce, he made the new ball talk. For the fourth time in seven face-offs, he got Wriddhiman Saha out. He had visualised he would get the right-hander to nick to the wicketkeeper with an away swinger, said Siraj. “That is exactly the way it panned out. I should have visualised something even better…5 wickets,” he said at the presentation after the four-wicket win. In his two-over new-ball burst, he got one to leave Shubman Gill and ended his stay by catching his top-edge. He cut big-hitter Shahrukh Khan in half with one which tailed in sharply, without luck. But Siraj was back. His rhythm was back. In the first seven matches he bowled for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Siraj’s figures were 5/269 at an Economy Rate of 10.34. In the last three matches, his returns have been 3/83 at an ER of 6.91. “All the practice time I had been putting in with the new ball, I found success now. I hadn’t been bowling as (well) with the new ball. That’s been my strength. Last year, I had been picking a lot of wickets with the new ball. It brought back memories of last year,” said Siraj. In the last IPL, Siraj had picked up 10 powerplay wickets at an ER of 5.93 and a strike rate of 18. With a lack of bite in his bowling, Siraj was even dropped from a match. It was the game where Sunrisers Hyderabad amassed a record 287, and hence Siraj wouldn’t have complained. The missing rhythm Siraj attributed to coming off a long spell of red-ball bowling. He made a telling point on why the switch to T20 cricket isn’t as easy. “You have to give 110 percent to every ball,” he said, suggesting how every delivery counts even if the workload may be less. “In Test matches, you can sometimes release (intensity).” Siraj has bowled more productive spells before. But he will remember his 4-0-29-4 against GT fondly in being able to deliver despite a stomach bug. “Aaj nahi ho payega, Siraj,” was the first thought that came to his mind. Then he revealed how he convinced himself to play, not waste an opportunity to prepare for the T20 World Cup. Even when he’s off-colour, his spirit to run in hard, to search for wickets, is unwavering. It’s one of the reasons captains don’t give up on him easily. It’s also why the Indian selectors had locked in his name for next month’s world event in the West Indies and USA, even when he was far from his best. In an inexperienced RCB bowling attack, Siraj is a vital cog. “He’s the leader of our group…the most experienced bowler. It’s not just him bowling well, his aggression, his body language (all matter). Him taking the batters on and trying to take wickets is such an important part of what we do,” said RCB bowling coach Adam Griffith. In Test cricket, Siraj’s the first one to put his hand up to bowl long spells. In white-ball cricket, he just wants the new ball. With his undying spirit, why would you not fulfil his wish. “Agar aap main, bowler ho, to ek taang pe khelna bhi zaroori hai (if there is a bowler in you, it is important to play even on one leg),” he said in his typical Hyderabadi style.

IPL-17 | Self-belief and never-say-die attitude are Mohammed Siraj’s real strengths, says Sunil Gavaskar

Danijones6 months ago04 mins

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Mohammed Siraj. File | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar Mohammed Siraj’s self-belief and never-say-die attitude are his real strengths, said batting legend Sunil Gavaskar after the pacer set up Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s four-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League in Bengaluru. Siraj’s two-wicket burst in the powerplay to remove Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha played a crucial role as GT could manage just 147 all-out in 19.3 overs on May 4. “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.” Chasing a modest 148, Faf du Plessis (64) and Virat Kohli (42) put on 92 runs inside the powerplay to give RCB a blistering start. RCB, however, slipped from 92/0 to 117/6 before romping home in 13.4 overs. “Extraordinary stuff during the power play when RCB was batting. It was just game on, and then all of a sudden things changed. Were they trying to counter the net run rate solution? And if that is the case, then well played to them because they needed to go hard,” former Australian batter Matthew Hayden said. “So they lost those three wickets to Joshua Little straight away in that middle stage of the match. And then they were able to consolidate because, simply as you heard Faf at the presentation say, anything short of 180, even 190 on this high-scoring venue, was never going to be enough runs.” Former England cricketer and coach Paul Collingwood also lauded the “aggressive approach” of the RCB batters. “The intensity displayed by RCB with the ball was commendable. Even while chasing a modest total, seeing Virat Kohli stepping out of his crease and effortlessly flicking a delivery for six on just the second ball indicated their aggressive intent. This signals danger for their opponents. “Despite their position near the bottom of the table, RCB didn’t hold back. They showed clarity, bravery, and aggression, particularly in the middle order. Although they lost wickets, I commend their aggressive approach,” he said.

IPL 2024: Mohammed Siraj’s good show for RCB a shot in the arm for Team India | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago07 mins

NEW DELHI: Mohammed Siraj‘s turn-around has been instrumental in Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s late-inning comeback in this IPL, and the pacer’s impressive form may have also helped calm Indian nerves ahead of the T20 World Cup next month.IPL ORANGE CAP | IPL PURPLE CAP | IPL POINTS TABLEIn the most recent manifestation of his transformation, Siraj destroyed the Gujarat Titans with a two-wicket burst in the Power Play, taking the wickets of Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill.Siraj took an incredible 2-0-9-2 at that point, and as he is expected to share the new ball with Jasprit Bumrah in the ICC final, it is also a huge boost for the national side.After working with Siraj for the past five years, assistant coach Adam Griffith of the RCB attributed that change to him “swinging the ball again.”“He’s the leader of our group. He’s played a lot for India in the last few years and has done really well. It’s not just him bowling well. It’s his aggression, his body language, him taking the batters on to try and get wickets is such an important part of what we’re trying to do.“Having him up and going, swinging the ball again, bowling with good pace, and being aggressive is so important to us,” said Griffith in the post-match press meet in Bengaluru on Saturday after RCB defeated GT by four wickets. The bowling performance of the Royal Challengers, with a combined economy rate of 10.28 and 45 wickets, was the lowest in the IPL season.As the leader, it was Siraj’s job to sort of galvanize the others, and he raised his hand.Maybe the nine days off he received between April 12 and April 20 helped him refocus and become more alert.The Sunrisers Hyderabad game in Bengaluru, where they amassed an IPL record 287 for three, was the one he missed in the meantime.Griffith outlined the reasoning behind allowing Siraj some free time.“He’s like any other player when they are fatigued. It’s very important to give them that break. That’s just as important as the training component, sometimes even more important.“He is a rhythm bowler – his run-up is so important to what he does. So, we want him fresh and running in hard,” he said. Siraj participated in four games against the Kolkata Knight Riders, SRH, and two against GT after his comeback from the break. In a high-scoring game against the Knight Riders, RCB lost by one run, but they won the other three.In those three matches, Siraj had figures of 4-0-20-0, 4-0-34-1 and 4-0-29-2.Griffith said Siraj has found a good balance between off-time and preparation.“He knows his body really well. He knows what he needs to do to prepare and every now and then we might need to give him a little bit of a push in that direction.“I’ve been with him now for five or so years, so I can tell when he’s going well and when he needs a rest,” he added.This version of Siraj was a throwback to IPL 2023 when he picked up 19 wickets and 10 of them were in the Power Play.The energy of Siraj seemed to have percolated to other bowlers too as the young Yash Dayal dished out a frugal and productive spell upfront – 4-0-21-2.It meant that the Titans were restricted to the lowest Power Play score of this IPL season – 23/3.Griffith said the RCB bowlers have collectively managed to hit a better line as they notched up three wins on the bounce.“We’ve swung the ball all tournament upfront. We talked about bowling a lot straighter and attacking the stumps as much as we can to challenge the batters’ defence and make them play aggressive shots if they want to come at us.“That’s the challenge for them to do and the boys put them exactly where we wanted them (against GT),” he explained.(With PTI inputs)