MUMBAI: Mohammed Siraj made a triumphant return to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday night, a ground he had called home for seven IPL seasons with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). After being released by the franchise at last year’s mega auction, the pacer had a point to prove—and he did so in emphatic fashion while playing for Gujarat Titans.
The sting of being let go by RCB was compounded by his exclusion from India’s white-ball plans, including the recent Champions Trophy squad. But at Chinnaswamy, Siraj let his performance do the talking, celebrating with his trademark 'Siu'—inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo—after dismissing Phil Salt. Unlike past seasons when the roar of the home crowd would drown out his celebration, this time the stadium was stunned into silence as Siraj dismantled RCB's top-order.
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Critics had previously pointed to his expensive record at this very venue—an economy rate of 8.81—as justification for his release. But on this night, he silenced the doubters with a superb spell of 3/19, earning him praise from none other than RCB head coach Andy Flower.
“He was excellent with the new ball—tight lines, good lengths, and always in the game. Credit to him,” said Flower.
The performance reflected Siraj’s evolution as a T20 bowler. Though he hasn’t featured for India in white-ball cricket for over seven months, he’s steadily making a strong case for a comeback. After a rough start to the IPL 2025 season—conceding 54 runs against Punjab Kings—he bounced back with figures of 2/34 against Mumbai Indians, before turning up the heat against RCB.
At Chinnaswamy, a venue known for being batting-friendly, Siraj showed control and discipline. Aside from a six by Salt and a boundary from Virat Kohli in the Powerplay, he hardly gave anything away—only bowling one wide in the 19th over.
Reflecting on his resurgence, Siraj shared, “I was playing non-stop before, so I wasn’t aware of the flaws in my game. The break helped me reassess and work on fitness. After joining Gujarat Titans, Ashish bhai (Nehra) told me to just enjoy myself, and Ishu bhai (Ishant Sharma) helped me with line and length. I’ve learned that if you believe in yourself, the pitch doesn’t matter.”
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Credit - TOI
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