Mohammed Siraj is flying at the moment. Sure, he has found pitches conducive to seam and swing bowling but still he had to bowl at a particular length to get things going for him and his side and the pacer has been able to execute it to perfection, especially in the last two games in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, one his adopted home ground for the last seven seasons in the IPL and the other, his actual home ground where he has been born and brought up.
It's not easy being Siraj. Having played over 70 games for the country over the last 24 months across formats and then the dip in the form coming at the wrong time, just before the Champions Trophy. Not being considered for an ICC event when you are with the team for a consistent period can hurt a player, which it did for Siraj as well but given how he is bowling now, that break might not have been bad eventually, given India also won the Champions Trophy.
“When you come to your home ground, it is a special feeling. My family was there in the crowd and that lifted me up,” Siraj said at the post-match presentation after recording his best IPL figures of 4/17 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.
“I have played for seven years for RCB there, so I have seen a lot of ups and downs at that venue. During the break, I worked hard on my bowling, my fitness and also on my mindset, it is working really well for me. I feel fresh. I am enjoying my bowling while staying in the present and not overthinking too much," Siraj added.
The right-arm pacer admitted that he wasn't able to digest the snub at the start but slowly made peace with it while mentioning that he reiterated that the cricket wasn't over and treated the gap just like a break.
"At the start, I was not able to digest it (having not been picked for the Champions Trophy) but I kept my spirits up and worked on my fitness and game while consoling myself that there is a lot of cricket still left. Whatever mistakes I was making, I worked on those and I am enjoying my bowling.
“As a professional, when you are consistently playing with the Indian team, doubts can creep in your mind when you are not selected but I cheered myself up and made peace with it and was looking forward to the IPL. When you’re not selected, it does cross your mind (if you are good enough). But I wanted to be ready for IPL," Siraj added.
Siraj is currently in second place on the leaderboard for wickets for the bowlers with nine scalps already in four matches and has played a key role in the Titans being as good as they are with three wins and are second on the table.