During the Gujarat Titans’ match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mohammed Siraj achieved his best bowling figures in the Indian Premier League. He took four wickets for just 17 runs, surpassing his previous best of four for 21 while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2023. This performance marked only the third time Siraj has taken a four-wicket haul in the IPL.
In a post-match interview, Siraj expressed his enjoyment of the game and credited his recent rest for his improved bowling performance. He mentioned that focusing on his bowling, fitness, and mentality during the break had paid off, as his body felt fresh and he was able to fully enjoy his time on the field.
Siraj also noted that the use of saliva on the ball had been beneficial for him in this IPL season. He explained that the slight tail on the ball created by saliva made it easier to take wickets, as compared to when there is no saliva and the ball comes onto the bat more easily. This rule change has made it more favorable for bowlers, increasing the chances of lbw and bowled dismissals.
The 31-year-old bowler dismissed Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, and Simarjeet Singh during his impressive spell, which played a crucial role in restricting the home side to a total of 152 for eight. As a result of his performance, Siraj climbed to the second spot in the Purple Cap standings, with a total of nine wickets in four games.
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