Mohammed Siraj opens up on Champions Trophy Snub, calls Virat Kohli his biggest support

Mohammed Siraj has been doing an exceptional job with the ball for the Gujarat Titans in the ongoing IPL 2025 after a series of heartbreaking events.

Mohammed Siraj is among the leading wicket-takers in the ongoing tournament with 11 wickets from 7 games for the Gujarat Titans.

However, before delivering stunning performances for the Titans in the ongoing IPL 2025, Siraj faced some tough times, as he was dropped from India’s white-ball squads, and then he was released by Royal Challengers Bengaluru—the franchise he represented for 7 years in the IPL.

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Mohammed Siraj rises from setbacks to shine for Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2025

The fiery speedster was overlooked for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 because Rohit Sharma felt “his effectiveness comes down when not bowling with the new ball.”

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His absence from the Champions Trophy 2025 was one of the talking points among the fans and cricket experts. Well, Siraj admitted that every cricketer dreams of playing in the ICC events, so missing out wasn’t easy for him. However, he quietly turned that disappointment into fuel.

Instead of dwelling on what he lost, Siraj focused on sharpening his game, pushing himself harder, and proving that setbacks can only make a true warrior stronger. These setbacks could not break Siraj down; instead, they fired him up, and he made an even stronger comeback with the Gujarat Titans.

Mohammed Siraj reveals how ICC Champions Trophy snub inspired his strong comeback

Gujarat Titans trusted in the 2024 T20 World Cup winner’s talent and invested heavily in him, as the 2022 IPL champions snapped him up for a whopping INR 12.25 crore at the IPL 2025 Mega Auction.

Mohammed Siraj was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz, “For a professional, an ICC event is incredibly important. I've always dreamed of playing in the Champions Trophy & doing well for my country, but perhaps it wasn't written in my destiny. It was difficult to reconcile, but I made peace with myself, focusing on improving and performing better. That has given me immense motivation.”

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Meanwhile, Siraj has heaped praise on his former RCB and India captain Virat Kohli. The Indian speedster’s journey has been filled with highs and lows, but one person who stood like a rock beside him was Kohli. He said that during his toughest phases, Kohli was always there for him.

Virat Kohli Bhaiya backs me a lot in my down phase: Mohammed Siraj

While others doubted, Kohli believed in Siraj and offered him constant support and lifted Siraj’s spirits when he needed it the most. Siraj signed off by saying, “Virat Kohli bhaiya gave me a lot of backing and support during my tough phases. I've witnessed many ups and downs. And Virat Bhaiya backs me a lot in my down phase.”

Siraj will be next seen in action on April 21 when the Gujarat Titans will face the defending champions, the Kolkata Knight Riders, in their next IPL 2025 game at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

After crushing Delhi Capitals in Ahmedabad, GT is leading the points table with 10 points from seven games so far. On the other hand, KKR has won just three of its seven games so far in the tournament.