The pacer is more focused on performing well for his franchise instead of worrying about national selection.
Gujarat Titans (GT) fast bowler Mohammed Siraj will be a player to watch in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 as he gets ready to play for his new team against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Ahead of the match, Siraj spoke about how he sees IPL as an opportunity to make a comeback to the Indian team.
While this season could help him get back into India’s white-ball squad, Siraj is more focused on performing well for his franchise instead of worrying about selection. He believes that thinking too much about selection can affect his game, so he is concentrating on what he can control.
While speaking to Revsportz, Mohammed Siraj explained that selection is not something he can control. But what he can control is his bowling and performance for his team. He is focused on giving his best and taking wickets. He mentioned that if he starts thinking too much about selection, it could affect how he plays. Looking back at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, which happened after the IPL, Siraj shared that he was too worried about getting selected and trying to bowl well, but things did not go as he had hoped.
“Selection is not in my hands. What is in my hands is taking wickets and performing for my team. I will give my 100 per cent. If I start thinking about selection, it might affect my performance. In the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, just after the IPL, I was only thinking about selection and that I needed to bowl well. But the performances did not come,” he said in an interview with Resportz.
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The pacer further explained that with time, he realised the importance of concentrating only on what he could control. Instead of thinking too much about selection, he decided to focus only on his bowling and giving his best on the field. He said that the most important thing for him is to perform well and follow his bowling plans correctly. By changing his mindset, he has stayed calm and played better under pressure. Siraj admitted that learning this over the years has helped him a lot in improving his game and staying consistent.
“Later, I realised that the only things in my control are my bowling and giving 100 per cent. The most important thing is performance and whether I am executing my plans properly. I have learned this over the last few years, and it has been very helpful,” Siraj added.
Siraj was a key fast bowler, but he was not picked for the Champions Trophy 2025. India emerged victorious in the tournament by defeating New Zealand in the final. Missing out on such a significant tournament was challenging for Siraj, but he did not allow it to discourage him. Instead, he worked on improving. He played in the Ranji Trophy to gain match practice and used his time to improve his fitness and bowling. Now, he is determined to perform well and make an impact at the highest level again.
“My preparation is going very well. I was on a break and worked on my bowling and fitness. I played matches, and after the Ranji Trophy, I came back and focussed on my fitness, training, and bowling. If we talk about my effort, I give 100 per cent because when I have the ball in my hand, I can give my full effort. Apart from that, I do not run after too many things,” he added.
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