“It’s a different feeling performing in front of friends and family,” said Mohammed Siraj after his match-winning spell helped Gujarat Titans hand Sunrisers Hyderabad their third consecutive defeat of the season. “It’s something that can’t be described, especially because my family doesn’t travel much — they only come to this venue.”
Siraj, who finished with a sensational 4-17, added, “I can’t describe that feeling right now, but I felt really good.”
Speaking to GT skipper Shubman Gill in a post-match chat on iplt20.com, Siraj reflected on his return to Hyderabad and his journey this season. “Every day, there is always something new to learn for me. My only aim is to stay content. I don’t want to switch too much — I want to focus on what is present and enjoy every morning.”
On the motivation behind his current IPL form, Siraj shared, “The work I have done — in my bowling, fielding, and mindset — is helping me. At the start [of the break], I couldn’t digest [being dropped]. But then I kept explaining to myself that I have so many things planned. It [Champions Trophy selection] was not to be, so I concentrated on my mindset and my fitness. I’m enjoying my bowling now.”
“When you’re not selected, it does cross your mind — ‘Am I good enough?’ — but I wanted to be ready for the IPL,” he added. “When you are executing exactly what you want to do, that is when you are on top. When the ball is listening to you and doing exactly what you want, that gives a different feeling and it feels really enjoyable.”
Siraj’s four-fer included the key scalps of Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma and Simarjeet Singh, helping him reach the 100-wicket milestone in the IPL. His efforts, along with Sai Kishore (2-24) and Prasidh Krishna (2-25), restricted SRH to 152/8 — a total Gujarat Titans overhauled comfortably to win by seven wickets.
Captain Shubman Gill, who guided his side home with an unbeaten 61, praised his bowlers for setting the tone.
Bowlers are game-changers, especially in this format. A lot of people talk about T20s, batting, and hitting, but we think matches are won by bowlers. That’s why there’s a lot of emphasis on them in this franchise. The energy he [Siraj] brings is tremendous. When playing against him, you want him in your team. His energy is infectious.
Gill also credited all-rounder Washington Sundar (49), who stitched together a crucial stand with him. “You still have to play cricketing shots — that was the chat between me and Washington,” he explained. “To have good intent and play some shots on the floor.”
“He was very close [to playing] in the game against Mumbai. He was padded the whole game, but with the Impact Player rule, it gives you an opportunity to play someone else if you need an extra bowler. It was all about having a good partnership, and we said once we are set, we will take it from there.”
The Gujarat Titans, champions in their debut season in 2022, will next face Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on April 9.
