"Siraj brings a lot of cleverness with the new ball" - Sunil Gavaskar

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has said that pace bowler Mohammed Siraj was outstanding in India's 12-run win against New Zealand on Wednesday, January 18, in Hyderabad.

Siraj played his first international match at his home ground, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, since making his debut for India in 2017. The pacer ensured to live up to the hype in front of his local supporters on a day where Indian bowlers encountered a tough phase in the death overs.

After Subman Gill guided India to 349 with a magnificent 208, Siraj removed New Zealand's swashbuckling batter Devon Conway in the powerplay. He used the short delivery to claim Conway as his 24th dismissal in the first powerplay since 2022.

The pacer persisted with the short ball against New Zealand stand-in skipper Tom Latham, who has an average of 62.14 against India in ODIs. Latham mistimed the pull and found the top edge for Washington Sundar to take a great catch.

Siraj gave India a breakthrough in his final over just when Michael Bracewell (140) and Mitchell Santner (57) were cruising in their 162-run stand. Like Latham's dismissal, Siraj foxed Santner with a bumper to induce the top edge of the left-hander.

The pace bowler cleaned up Henry Shipley on the very next ball to finish with figures of 4/46 from 10 overs at an economy of 4.6. No other Indian bowler managed to record an economy rate of less than 5 in the first ODI.

While analyzing Siraj's variations in dismantling the batters and lavishing praise on the Hyderabad pacer, Sunil Gavaskar told Sports Today:

"Outstanding is the word because with the new ball what he brings to the table is not only hostility. Siraj brings a lot of cleverness with the new ball. Look at the way he shaped his bouncers just outside the left-hander's off-stump. So the batsman had to go all round to try and hit it towards the mid-wicket area, not able to control it and you got a couple of wickets for that."

He added:

"He has got the great ability to get the ball nip back in which is the wobble seam ball. Because he realises that he cannot get normal in swing, because the wrist position changing will mean his outswinger will have a bit of a problem."

Indeed a special feeling to play my first international match at my home ground while my family & friends were cheering for me. Long way ahead 🙏 and top knock today @ShubmanGill. Even Bracewell 👏 https://t.co/ciRNUl9OFb

"In that respect he is fantastic" - Sunil Gavaskar on Mohammed Siraj's specialty

Siraj started with India in the T20 Internationals in 2017 before extending his run to the longer formats of the game. Interestingly, he has played only eight T20Is for the national team.

Siraj has cemented his place in Tests and ODIs as part of India's core pace attack. With Jasprit Bumrah being sidelined with injury woes, Siraj has utilized the opportunity to turn into a fiery new-ball bowler in ODIs.

The 28-year-old started 2023 on a high note, finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the India-Sri Lanka series - nine wickets at an average of 10.22. He ran through Sri Lanka's top order in the third ODI to record career-best figures of 4/32.

Gavaskar mentioned that Siraj has a tendency to chip in with wickets at regular intervals of the game.

The former India captain said:

"He is again somebody who has shown that he can pick you wickets at the top, he can come in the middle and pick you wickets or bowl quiet overs. And towards the end as well he can come in and block the story. In that respect he is fantastic."

India will play their second ODI game against New Zealand on Saturday, January 21, at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.