The 31-year-old laid the foundation for Gujarat Titans' victory against his former side
Mohammed Siraj was released into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) after spending seven seasons at the franchise. Besides that, he also had to deal with the disappointment of his non-selection for the Champions Trophy 2025 which India won.
The changes ahead of IPL 2025 seems to have fired up the Hyderabad pacer, who already has five wickets from the first three games. On Wednesday, Siraj returned to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to play against his former side in Gujarat Titans’ colors and claimed 3-15 to set up a eight-wicket victory.
The 31-year told revealed how a chat with GT head coach Ashish Nehra and veteran pacer Ishant Sharma had cleared his head and helped him find his rhythm in the new season.
“Once I was picked up by Gujarat Titans, I spoke to Ashish bhai. He (Nehra) tells me to go enjoy your bowling and Ishu (Ishant Sharma) bhai tells me what line and length to bowl. My mindset is to have belief and then the pitch does not matter,” Siraj said in the post-match presentation.
Siraj also said that it was emotional for him to return to Bengaluru and play for a different team.
“I was a bit emotional. I was here for 7 years, changed jersey from red to blue and was emotional but once I got the ball I was fine,” he said.
The highlight of his performance was the battle with opener Phil Salt who hit a gigantic six to which Siraj replied by skittling out his off-stump and hitting Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Siu’ celebration.
“I am a Ronaldo fan, hence the celebration,” Siraj said about his admiration for the footballing great.
Being relegated to just a non-travelling reserve for the Champions Trophy 2025 clearly seemed to have an effect on Siraj. His lines have tightened and his seam movement has been deadly.
“I had been playing consistently, but during the break I corrected my mistakes and worked on my fitness,” he said about the time he spent since February.
There is a spring in his step even when he is fielding, visible from the way he threw himself at a flat sharp chance at deep mid-wicket in Rashid Khan’s bowling.
He didn’t complete the catch to dismiss Liam Livingstone, but managed to get fingers to a ball that looked like a four. This was after bowling three disciplined overs and claiming two crucial wickets.
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When talking about the snub, he had mentioned that he was capable of picking wickets with the old ball as in pointing the finger towards the selection committee and captain Rohit Sharma.
Poetically enough, he got the wicket of Rohit with a brilliant seaming delivery when GT faced off against Mumbai Indians in their second match.
Many had criticised Siraj for not stepping up in lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s absence in the second innings of the Sydney Test against Australia. That was January and he surely failed to influence a 2-2 series draw.
Three months later, Siraj stepped up in GT’s lead pacer Kagiso Rabada’s absence and fired his team to victory at RCB’s fortress.
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