IPL 2024: Siraj’s ‘never-say-die attitude’ is his real strength, says Sunil Gavaskar

Bengaluru, May 5 (IANS) Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar, in a discussion about Mohammed Siraj’s contribution to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) victory against Gujarat Titans (GT), called the right-arm pacer’s “self-belief and the never-say-die attitude on the field” as his real strength as a player.

In Saturday’s match against GT, Siraj showcased his skill by making the ball swing both ways during the powerplay, leading to the dismissal of Wriddhiman Saha. He further induced Shubman Gill to play a shot that resulted in a catch at deep point off a leading edge.

Siraj’s impressive performance concluded with figures of 2-29, earning him the Player of the Match award following RCB’s four-wicket victory.

“Every time you see Mohammed Siraj, you know that he’s going to give his heart out. Remember the time when his father passed away when he was in Australia. He carried on. A lot of people would want to go back because your parents are so dear to you. They’ve brought you up and they’ve given you everything. But I think he realized that playing for India was important,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

“Also, he was not established at that stage. An established player would 100% have gone back. When you’re not established, and you’re looking to get your place in the team, you stick around. And that’s what he did.

“And remember how spectacularly he bowled in that Gabba test match. Getting somebody like Steve Smith out when he was on 55 because getting Steve Smith out when he’s just coming to bat is one thing, but when he is set and then getting him out is another thing. So, this is the real strength of Mohammed Siraj, the self-belief and the never-say-die attitude on the field,” he said.

After fast bowlers’ impressive show bowl out GT for a below-par 147, Virat Kohli (42), Faf du Plessis (64) gave RCB a blazing start with a 92-run opening stand coming in just 35 balls. Although there were a few nerves during the run-chase, RCB were comfortable as they chased the target down with 6.2 overs to spare.

Former England cricketer Paul Collingwood discussed RCB’s performance last night, particularly highlighting Virat Kohli’s contribution, “I believe tonight’s performance was as impressive as any RCB fan could have wished for. The intensity displayed by RCB with the ball was commendable. Even while chasing a modest total, seeing Virat Kohli stepping out of his crease and effortlessly flicking a delivery for six on just the second ball indicated their aggressive intent. This signals danger for their opponents.

“Despite their position near the bottom of the table, RCB didn’t hold back tonight. They showed clarity, bravery, and aggression, particularly in the middle order. Although they lost wickets, I commend their aggressive approach. In a bid to improve their net run rate, they unselfishly took on the opposition, which was fantastic to watch,” he said.

Ex-Australia cricketer Aaron Finch shared his thoughts on Du Plessis’s batting performance and said, “In a small run chase all it takes is one or two overs to really break the back of the innings. Faf did that from ball one when he was on song. RCB was acutely aware of their net run rate, crucial for their chances in the final four. They understood the importance of chasing the target swiftly.

“Despite some unselfish batting in the middle overs, they aimed to accelerate the chase as much as possible. The brilliant start provided by Faf and Virat Kohli set the tone for their innings.”

–IANS

bc/