Last Update: January 16, 2023, 5:14 pm IST
Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif
Mohammad Siraj took 9 wickets in three matches, ending the series as the highest wicket-taker. More impressive was the way he led India’s pace attack when there was no one like Jasprit Bumrah
The recently concluded Sri Lanka ODI saw the fiery form of Mohammed Siraj, who left no stone unturned to intimidate the opposition. The right-arm pacer from Hyderabad took 9 wickets in three matches, ending the series as the highest wicket-taker. More impressive was the way he led India’s pace attack when there was no one like Jasprit Bumrah around.
In the first ODI in Guwahati, Siraj picked up two wickets with the new ball, while taking one wicket in Kolkata. But in the third ODI at Thiruvananthapuram, his four wickets with the new ball played a vital role in giving India Record 317-run victory.
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Impressed by Siraj’s bowling, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes the right-arm pacer’s performance was the biggest takeaway from India’s 3-0 ODI series win over Sri Lanka.
“The first of the three major takeaways would be, I think Mohammed Siraj. want to win World Cup in flat conditions in India, I think Mohammed Siraj has done so well. If you look at the last few matches, he has been bowling really well, finding success with the new ball.
“Mohammed Shami is also back but is unable to find prey with the new ball, Mohammed Siraj on the other hand has done a fantastic job. He has got wickets even when he has come to bowl at the end. Overall, I think Mohammad Siraj, the two openers and Virat Kohli The way he scored a hundred in the last match and the way Kuldeep Yadav bowled in the second ODI.
Kaif also felt that India’s new opening pair of captain Rohit Sharma and young Shubman Gill complement each other really well. In the three ODIs against Sri Lanka, Rohit made scores of 83, 17 and 42, while Gill registered figures of 70, 21 and 116 respectively.
“I think both the batsmen have similarities because they like to play on the back foot. The way they play square of the wicket, they like to play pull shots and not footwork but the way they play square of the wicket, fine. Plays through leg and cover points, he is brilliant to watch. Eye-catching, both the batsmen have elegance,” Kaif said.
“Both the batsmen have the ability to bat for a long time on the pitch and that’s why it is difficult to bowl against them because if you make even a small mistake, these guys will punish you,” he said.
“The way Rohit Sharma has started as a captain, he is trying to set that tone in the powerplay, getting out and playing by pulling the ball. I think he knows that if India has to win the World Cup, they have to be aggressive in the power play.
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