3 reasons why Mohammed Siraj can win the Purple Cap in IPL 2023
Mohammed Siraj has made a spectacular transformation from a fiery and unpredictable Test cricketer to a consistent limited-overs player. He will be a key bowler for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL.
Siraj has showcased his remarkable talent and versatility on the pitch. His exceptional performances have helped him climb the ranks, cementing his position as a force to be reckoned with in world cricket.
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Affectionately known as Miyaan among his teammates, Siraj has been making waves across all formats of the game. His phenomenal rise to success has been a delight to watch for cricket enthusiasts around the world. He has stepped out from the shadows of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami and has become one of the key bowlers for India across all three formats.
We take a look at the three reasons why Mohammed Siraj can get the Purple Cap in IPL 2023:
#3 Always strikes in the powerplay overs
Since January 2022, Siraj has been mighty impressive in ODIs and has picked up 26 wickets during the powerplay phase in these games. He has a penchant for picking up key wickets in the first few overs and this should bolster RCB. The Hyderabad-based pacer has grown leaps and bounds and will be a key figure.
Siraj will be looking to make an impact and nail down a spot in India’s World Cup team. With his immaculate line and length and ability to move the ball both ways, Rohit Sharma has trusted his abilities in the first 10 overs. Interestingly, the talented pacer has 25 top-order wickets out of his 43 scalps in the 50-over format.
#2 New skills developed
Since his emergence onto the cricket scene in 2017, Siraj has consistently impressed with his ability to generate pace on the ball. However, it was during his performances in Australia in 2020/21 that he demonstrated good control over his inswingers, making it his signature delivery and achieving considerable success with it.
In addition, Siraj has recently developed an outswinger to the right-hander, which has left batters uncertain and made him even more lethal on the pitch. His exceptional performances have also earned him the responsibility of taking the new ball, where he has delivered early breakthroughs with remarkable consistency. Under Kohli, he has evolved a lot and continues to impress with his versatile and skillful performances.
#1 Conditions in Chinnaswamy
RCB will play all their home games at Chinnaswamy Stadium and this will give Siraj the conditions to be penetrative with the new ball. The surface on offer in Bangalore could well give the pacers a lot of opportunity to strike early.
While chasing has been a preferred option here, expect the seamers to pick up wickets up front. The lanky pacer has a lot of experience bowling in Chinnaswamy and this will come in handy when he leads RCB this IPL. The 29-year-old has picked eight wickets in as many appearances at this venue.