The just-concluded Sri Lanka ODIs saw the ferocious form of Mohammad Siraj who left no stone unturned to threaten the opposition. The right-arm quick from Hyderabad pocketed 9 wickets in three games, ending the series as the highest wicket-taker. More impressive was the way he led India’s pace attack when someone like Jaspreet Bumrah was not around.
In the first ODI at Guwahati, Siraj picked up two wickets with the new ball, while taking one scalp at Kolkata. But it was in the third ODI at Thiruvananthapuram, that his four wickets with the new ball played a pivotal role in giving India a record 317-run victory.
Impressed by Siraj’s bowling, former India cricketer Mohammed kaif believes that the performance of the right-arm quick is one of the biggest takeaways from India’s 3-0 ODI series triumph over Sri Lanka.
“Three key takeaways would be first, I think Mohammed Siraj. Wanting to win the World Cup in India on flat conditions, I think Mohammed Siraj has done so well. If you see the last couple of matches he’s been really bowling well, getting the breakthrough with the new ball,” Kaif said on ‘Follow The Blues’ show on Star Sports.
“Mohammed Shami is also back but is unable to find a victim with the new ball, on the other hand, Mohammed Siraj has done a great job. He has got wickets even when he comes in to bowl towards the end. Overall, I think Mohammed Siraj, the two openers and Virat Kohli the way he got his century in the last game and also Kuldeep Yadav the way he bowled in the second ODI,” he added.
Kaif also felt India’s new opening combination of captain Rohit Sharma and youngster 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 batters got 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 so much of footwork but the way they play square of the wicket, the fine leg and through the cover points is fantastic to see. Appealing to the eyes, both the batsmen have got elegance,” Kaif said.
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“Both the batsmen have the capability to stay at on the pitch batting for a longer time and for that reason it is difficult to bowl against them because if you make even a small mistake these guys will punish you.
“The way Rohit Sharma has started as a captain, he is trying to set that tone in the power play, stepping out and playing over point pulling the ball. I think he knows that if India wants to win the World Cup, he should be the one as the aggressor in the power play,” he added.
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