How a fitter and fierier Siraj rediscovered white-ball zing

IN THE MIDDLE of Mohammed Siraj's interview with the host broadcaster during the innings break on Sunday, he turned emotional. He waved his arms towards the gallery where his parents and extended family sat. He spoke about the pain of leaving Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), after they refused to retain him in the last auction.

- TANISHQ VADDI

IN THE MIDDLE of Mohammed Siraj's interview with the host broadcaster during the innings break on Sunday, he turned emotional. He waved his arms towards the gallery where his parents and extended family sat. He spoke about the pain of leaving Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), after they refused to retain him in the last auction. "I have played seven years for RCB," he said, sighing. He then dwelled on the India snub for the Champions Trophy. "At one time, I was not able to digest it," he said.

There were times, too, when he might have felt that he was not getting the recognition he deserves, that he is being perennially overshadowed by the shadows Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami cast.

But in his fresh chapter with Gujarat Titans (GT), Siraj has reinforced the gifts that make him one of the most valuable Indian bowlers of his time. He might not exude the X-factor of Bumrah, neither his snap or bite or control, or the zip of Shami, but he is in his own ways a genuine wicket-taker across formats.