India pacer Mohammed Siraj spoke about learning about aggression on the cricketing field from ex-India captain Virat Kohli. He even stated that Kohli was more aggressive on the field than some fast bowlers.
Siraj made his India debut in 2017 and has become one of the leaders of Indian pace attacks. He has done extremely well whenever Jasprit Bumrah has missed the Test matches and even played all five Tests in England recently, even playing a match-winning role in the final Test at the Oval.
The bowler, who has spent years working with Virat at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and in the Indian side, obviously displayed a similar level of intensity on the field against Ben Stokes' England. In response to a question concerning the source of this intensity, Siraj stated that he picked it up from Kohli, who taught him to regard opponents as friends off the field and as adversaries on it.
"I've learned this one particular thing from Virat Kohli, and that is his fighting approach in the game. Off the field, he would be talking very nicely, but on the ground, the opposition is the enemy for him. I like this thing about him. And my bowling comes from aggression.
If I do not show that on the ground, I won't be able to bowl well. I have been with Virat Kohli in RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) and have had a good bonding with him. Fast bowlers should have aggression on the field, and Virat Kohli has more aggression on the field than bowlers," Siraj told RevSportz in an interview.
Siraj was involved in heated arguments with several England players and was even reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Siraj has learned from Kohli not just how to play on the nerves of other players but also how to use the backing of the audience to motivate himself.
"In that last test at The Oval, when Brook and Root were having a good partnership, we had a bit of a shoulder-dropping moment. But then, I encouraged everyone, and we went ahead to get the upper hand in the form of the wicket of Root. I have also learned to take crowd support from Virat. Support of the crowd, for a bowler, can make a big difference and get the bowler flying with confidence," Siraj asserted.
Virat Kohli recently retired from Test cricket in May this year after playing 123 Tests, scoring 9230 runs with 30 centuries and 31 fifties at an average of 46.85. His highest score was 254*, and he captained India in 68 Tests, winning 40 of those.
