After over a month, Mohammed Siraj finally delivered a stunning spell for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday (4 May). The pacer scalped two wickets and conceded merely 29 runs in four overs, as his team defeated Gujarat Titans by 4 wickets in the 52nd match of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL).
However, Siraj informed after that match that he was not even going to be a part of the team for this clash, had it not been for a miraculous overnight recovery. Notably, he has been ill for the last few days.
I was actually really sick for the last few days, thought I might not be able to play today. When I got up this morning I thought it was better to rest but the almighty made me play.Mohammed Siraj
Siraj dismissed veteran wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha in his first over, and then got the better of Gujarat’s skipper, Shubman Gill in the fourth over. Speaking about his plans, he stated:
This morning, I manifested what I will do. I planned that I would get Saha out like that, caught behind. It was exactly what happened.Mohammed Siraj
Not Easy to Switch Between White Ball and Red Ball: Mohammed Siraj
The 2024 season of IPL has not been particularly rewarding for Siraj, who has bowled only a handful of decent spells, whilst being expensive on multiple occasions. His economy rate is currently 9.26 runs per over, with only eight wickets to his name.
Speaking on what led to his underwhelming show, especially during the initial stages of the competition, Siraj revealed that he found it difficult to adjust to the white ball after representing India in Test cricket in the weeks prior to the IPL.
I had been playing red-ball cricket for long and hadn't played with the white ball since the ODI World Cup. So my rhythm was missing a little bit when I came here. It is not easy to switch between red and white-ball cricket. But it came back gradually as I worked and practised more and more with the new ball.Mohammed Siraj