Indian skipper Rohit Sharma showered praise on Mohammed Siraj after the home team defeated Sri Lanka by a gigantic margin of 317 runs at Greenfield Cricket Stadium, Trivandrum on Sunday. India posted a massive total of 390 runs on the board after centuries from Shubman Gill (116) and Virat Kohli (166).
Subsequently, Mohammed Siraj provided a fine start to the home team as he dismissed Avishka Fernando in his first over. Siraj then produced the outside edge of Kusal Mendis’ bat and bowled Nuwanidu Fernando and Wanindu Hasaranga.
Siraj returned with impressive figures of 4-32 in his quota of 10 overs and played a key role in skittling out the opposition at 73. The fast bowler got the ball to move both ways and he was right on the money. Siraj took a total of nine wickets in three matches of the series at an average of 10.22 and an economy rate of 4.06.
Rohit Sharma said in the post-match presentation, “It was a great series for us. Lots of positives. We bowled well, got wickets when we needed and the batters throughout the series piling on the runs was good to watch. Good to see how he (Siraj) was bowling and he deserved all those slips. He is a rare talent, the way he has come up over the last few years is good to see. He has come from strength to strength and that’s really good for Indian cricket.”
He added, “We tried all sorts of things (to get his fifer) but it didn’t happen, unfortunately. But the four wickets are all his and the fifers will come. He has a few tricks up his sleeves which he is working on and it’s there to see. We’ll get to the drawing board quickly (for the next series) and see how the pitch is, then decide how the combinations will be. They (NZ) are coming off a series win in Pakistan, so it won’t be an easy task at all.”
Siraj has been a great positive for India in the limited-overs format and he would want to carry the same form in the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.
Siraj has ticked the right boxes in his bowling and he always bowls with a lot of passion to deliver the goods for the team. The first ODI between India and New Zealand will take place in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
