Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) director of cricket Mike Hesson has termed RCB and Indian team bowler Mohammed Siraj as unlucky, as he is not a first-choice pick in any of the formats the national team plays. He says it’s just a process given the depth the Indian team has in terms of bowling options and his time will come.
Siraj was retained by the RCB franchise ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction along with Glenn Maxwell and former captain Virat Kohli. A few days back, RCB named Faf du Plessis their new captain going into the IPL 2022. He was bought in the auction for INR 7 crores.
Hesson has seen Mohammed Siraj’s growth as a bowler from close quarters. Siraj made an emphatic Test debut in Australia and carried his good form on the tour of England and South Africa. However, he is yet to break into the first-choice bowling unit of the Indian team in any of the formats.
Jasprit Bumrah is the only first-choice bowler in Tests, ODIs, and T20I matches. Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Deepak Chahar are rotated in the spots of other pacers in the India XI, which leaves Siraj out of consideration. However, Hesson believes that it's all part of the 'process' and that very soon Siraj will start playing more in all formats.
"Look, I think he is really unlucky in terms of he's in an era where India have a huge amount of depth in the seam-bowling ranks. And I also think he is in a period where a number of those bowlers have done well for India and they are coming potentially to the end of their careers. Hence, the selectors are giving them more opportunities to finish before Siraj then takes over. So I think it's just a natural succession plan. The likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar have still got plenty to offer and therefore he is getting more opportunities. In time Siraj will take over," Hesson told Hindustan Times.
Siraj had joined the RCB camp in IPL 2020 and didn’t get much time on the field, but Hesson was impressed with his confidence and energy even when he was sitting in the dugout.
"You talk about that enthusiasm… it's genuine. A lot of players can be really pumped up and enthusiastic when things are going your way. I always gauge a player when they are having a bit of struggle, and the energy that they bring to the group. And Siraj, when he was first here in 2020, he was not a guaranteed starter. In fact, he didn't start," Hesson added.
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"But the energy he brought to the group at every practice, at every open wicket, at every game that he wasn't playing, he was always so much team focused. And when he did get an opportunity, everyone else in the team could not wait for him to do well. When a player does well, the fact that everybody in the change room in genuinely excited for him. It means that he is a great team man and for me that's hugely valuable,” he added.
RCB will begin their IPL 2022 campaign against Punjab Kings on March 27 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
(Hindustan Times inputs)
