Playing for Real Madrid, Karim Benjema completed her role, but was often overshraded by Cristiano Ronaldo’s glitz and glamor during the era of Galacticose. The irony is that Mohammad Siraj – an enthusiastic fan by Ronaldo, who celebrates the wicket with the iconic “Siu” – has similarly accepted his fellow Indian fast bowler, Jaspreet Bumrah, which is not only the best of India, but one of the greatest that ever holds the white ball.
Nevertheless, despite Bumrah’s unmatched skills in T20 cricket, Siraj brings its unique features to the table – the qualities that cannot be measured only by numbers. He has recently been on the fringe of the Indian setup including the Champions Trophy. Rohit Sharma and the selectors allegedly pointed to their struggles with the old ball, as their lapse was the cause.
Sirj’s childhood coach Kudarwali Srinivas said in an interview with the Indian Express, “Siraj has been performing at a high level for seven to eight years. Players eventually experience fatigue – bound for stages where form dips are.”
“He is continuously played: Test series, Asia Cup, IPL- No Brake, No Relax For Mind. It is more mental fatigue than physical. When he is set, performs, and when a break is required. The team management should have been given a break. It was a mistake to remove it.”
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Beyond their skill set, one of the standout properties of the head is their remarkable resistance to injury, their ability, ability to get out during the day and day. “How many times do you see him injured?” Srinivas asked. “We worked on their biomechanics from a very young age: body alignment, pressure point, bowling arm, foot landing, non-bowling arm movement, just to avoid back pain. Many bowlers do not understand how to use core strength. We taught them all this.”
Falling from the Indian team was not the only shock. Non-poverty by Royal Challengers Bangalore also gave a tough fight. While Siraj started his IPL with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2017, it was under Virat Kohli in RCB where he really found himself. His aggression translated not only for Bengaluru, but also for India.
Siraj with his prestigious “SIUU” celebrations like his Ronaldo. (Sportzpics for IPL)
Srinivas said, “You saw how emotional she was when she looked at Virat Kohli during the game against RCB. He is a soft man, an innocent person who only knows how to bowl fast,” Srinivas said. “He does not understand politics. Have you ever seen him making a controversial statement? He is straightforward, ask him to bowl in a certain field, and he is like a remote-controlled machine. He has recently started using his own mind in bowling.”
M. Bowling at Chinnaswamy Stadium is not the easiest task in world cricket, yet Siraj always showed enthusiasm. Whether it is a good or bad day, his attitude never reflected his figures. But IPL is jackfruit. On one side, their performance submerged the last season, and it is advisable to say that T20 has not been their strongest format – so far.
Magic vintage against RCB was Siraj. While the franchise could still have a place in his heart, he showed no mercy, returning with 3/19 figures and returned to the player with the match player. Sirj said after the game, “I was here for 7 years, turned my jersey from red to blue, and was emotional, but once I got the ball, I was fine.” “I was playing continuously, but during the break, I corrected my mistakes and worked on my fitness.”
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Now with Gujarat Titans, Siraj rejuvenation appears. “I think it is unfair to say it is unfair to say that things are not going well for him. The opportunity is given when he is given the opportunity,” said Vikram Solanki, director of cricket in GT, said, “On the eve of his match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.” “Sometimes we expect a lot from a person like Siraj, who has already achieved so much. We do justice quickly based on one or two performances, but he is extraordinary since joining us.”
“They have a great relationship with Ashish (Nehra), and you are looking at the results of their work together. Ashish has a rare ability to create confidence in players. You have seen that with other players in GT.
