Mohammed Siraj delivered a remarkable bowling performance of 4/17 for Gujarat Titans in their seven-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League on Sunday in Hyderabad. The pacer revealed his struggles after being dropped from the Indian team for the Champions Trophy earlier this year but bounced back through focused training and improvement.
Siraj’s exceptional bowling helped Gujarat Titans restrict Sunrisers Hyderabad to 152 for eight after bowling first. The victory was made sweeter as his parents watched from the stands at his home ground.
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“At one time, I was not able to digest it (having not been picked for Champions Trophy) but I kept my spirits up and worked on my fitness and game. Whatever mistakes I was making, I worked on those and I’m enjoying my bowling,” Siraj said in the presentation ceremony.
“As a professional, when you are consistently with the Indian team, a doubt grows in your mind (on him being dropped) but I cheered myself up and was looking forward to the IPL. When you execute what you are trying to deliver, you stay at the top. When you move the ball both in and out and it works instinctively, it gives you a different feeling,” he added.
“When you come to your home ground, it’s a special feeling. My family was there in the crowd and that lifted me up. I have played seven years for RCB. I have worked hard on my bowling and also on my mindset, it’s working really well for me,” Siraj expressed.
Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill, who remained unbeaten on 61 off 43 balls, praised his bowling unit after the victory.
“Bowlers are game-changers, especially in this format. Lot of people talk about T20s, batting and hitting, but we think matches are won by bowlers and that is why there is a lot of emphasis on bowlers (in this franchise),” Gill stated.
Gill also commented on Washington Sundar’s GT debut and Siraj’s contribution. “He (Washington) was very close (to playing) in the game against Mumbai. He was padded the whole game, but with the impact player rule, it gives you an opportunity to play someone else (if you need an extra bowler). It was all about having a good partnership, and we said once we are set, we will take it from there.”
“The energy he brings is tremendous. When playing against him, you want him in your team. His energy is infectious,” Gill said about Siraj.
Washington Sundar shared his batting approach during the match. “Skipper kept telling me to play as deep as possible. Got off to a good start and wanted to bat as deep as possible and finish for the team. This has been the trend in Hyderabad in the last few years. In the second innings, the wicket gets better and easier to chase 160-170 on the board. I was well aware of it and it helped me.”
Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins reflected on the match conditions. “Not a traditional Hyderabad wicket, tough to get fluency in your innings. At the end there, it did not spin as much as we thought. A few (runs) short and they batted well,” he concluded.
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