"See what Virat Kohli did as the captain"- Mohammed Siraj indirectly attacks Gautam Gambhir
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One of Virat Kohli's biggest admirers in international cricket, former RCB teammate Mohammed Siraj, has opened up on how he has learned his aggression from the former Indian veteran, who had played the game with the same intensity throughout his career.
Mohammed Siraj, the rising underdog of Indian pace bowling, who has been overshadowed by the impactful presence of Indian legend Jasprit Bumrah, has always had a great bond with former RCB skipper Virat Kohli, under whom he made his team India debut.
Indian speedster Mohammed Siraj's massive credit to Virat Kohli
As seen right through the entire England series, Siraj played a crucial role in pumping up the entire team and getting the crowd going, and emerged as the lead aggressor for India. So this question arises: if he had adopted the role from Indian veteran Virat Kohli, who did the same for India during his playing days.
“Maine yeh Virat bhai se sikha hai [I learned this from Virat Bhai],” he began. “Virat bhai always said to us that we need to play cricket with aggression and passion. When we are on the field, the opponent is not a friend. The opponent is our enemy. After the match is over, we are all friends."
“All through his career, he played cricket with the same intensity. And that’s what I have tried to learn from him. If you see the fourth day at The Oval, there was a time when England was controlling the game, and there was a very strong partnership between Root and Brook," he kept adding.
"That’s where you need the intensity. You can’t let your shoulders drop and can’t let things go out of control."
"Crowd can play a major part." Siraj credits support from the Indian crowd in England behind Oval glory
In a recent interview with Boria Majumdar, Mohammed Siraj revealed how the crowd often plays a very crucial role in high-tension matches, as a result of which there is always an upper hand to any home team. However, he credits the Indian supporters in England who had played a major role in charging up the Indian bowlers.
“The crowd can play a major part in this. After Brook got out, you can see I was trying my best to rally the crowd. It actually worked for us. Root also got out, and we had momentum."
"The crowd was very loud, and each one of us felt pumped. I was consciously trying to get the crowd behind us, for I knew every bowler would get charged up, and it always helps.”
“I will not be the same bowler if I don’t play the sport with passion,” Mohammed Siraj reveals his success mantra
Mohammed Siraj confesses that he would not be the same good bowler without his aggression. It is the intensity with which he devotes himself to the game that makes him a match-winning performer for India.
“I will not be the same bowler if I don’t play the sport with passion,” he said.
“If there is no banter or there is nothing said on the field, I will never be able to make a difference. I need the intensity which Virat bhai stood for. You should see what he did as captain. It worked for us all, and it worked for India."
"That’s what I try and do, and that’s what worked for us at The Oval. The opponent also feels that we are not going to back down. That we will all push for victory, and every ball will be a challenge. That’s what makes me the player I am, and I have to credit Virat bhai for this,” said Mohammed Siraj's massive credit to Kohli.
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India National Cricket Team Virat Kohli Mohammed Siraj Royal Challengers Bangalore India vs England Gautam Gambhir ICC World Test Championship
