Mohammed Siraj spoke in detail about his emotional bond with Virat Kohli and RCB, as he prepares to kickstart his stint with Gujarat Titans.
Mohammed Siraj will kickstart a new journey at the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year as he gears up for his first season with Gujarat Titans (GT) after a long stint with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Having been an integral part of RCB’s pace attack since 2018, Siraj now faces the challenge of adapting to a new franchise while carrying deep-rooted emotions for his former team and its talisman, Virat Kohli.
Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj during the match against Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League 2024(ANI)
Reflecting on his time at RCB, Siraj acknowledged the pivotal role Kohli played in shaping his career, especially during his difficult early years in the IPL.
“To be honest, Virat Kohli has a huge hand in my career. He has backed me in my bad time – 2018 and 2019 – he supported me, he even retained me, and after that, my performance and graph went up. He has been very supportive. It has been very emotional for me to leave RCB. Let’s see what happens when I come against RCB. The match is on April 2,” Siraj told ANI.
Siraj’s departure from RCB marks the end of an era for a bowler who became the franchise’s third-highest wicket-taker. Across 87 matches, he claimed 83 wickets at an average of 31.45, with a best of 4/21.
His most impressive season came in 2023, where he took 19 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 19.74 and an economy rate of 7.50. While he consistently delivered breakthroughs, the elusive IPL trophy remained beyond reach for both him and RCB.
Siraj on Titans
Despite a rollercoaster journey with the Bengaluru-based team, Siraj is looking ahead with optimism as he trains with Gujarat Titans.
“My training is going very well with all the pacers in my team, and our bowling unit knows how to plan and execute. I am feeling very pleasant training with them all, teammates, and especially being here in Gujarat Titans,” he added.
Gujarat Titans, a team that has already built a reputation for its well-rounded squad, will hope to see Siraj’s pace and accuracy add firepower to their bowling attack. The side lifted the title in its inaugural season in 2022 under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy, and also reached the final the next year under the all-rounder.
However, Shubman Gill had a tough start to his captaincy stint with the Titans, with the side finishing 8th in 2024 with five wins in 14 matches.
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