After India’s third one-day international against New Zealand, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar was taken aback by how little buzz there was about Mohammed Siraj.
The Indian cricket team got their preparations for the ODI World Cup in 2023 off to a great start by sweeping New Zealand in a three-game series. Not only did batsmen like Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma shine, but spinner Kuldeep Yadav also won over many fans. When it came to fast bowling, it was Mohammed Siraj who stood out from the crowd. Sanjay Manjrekar, a former Indian cricketer, was upset that Siraj wasn’t mentioned more in the post-match presentation following the third one-day international.
Manjrekar singled out Siraj in a conversation with Star Sports, praising him for his reliable performance for India.
“He was barely noted in the postgame analysis. Rarely discussed. But in cases where I can only evaluate one player, that is the case. One key contributor whose development has been nothing short of astounding. This is a phrase I’ve used rather frequently. He is currently looking like a true seam bowler. And that’s a testament to the performance, not the format, in question. Even in Tests and Twenty20 Internationals, “Said Manjrekar once the award ceremony was over.
As the series came to a close, Siraj had taken 5 wickets for an outstanding average of 11.20. Siraj only played in two of the three ODIs, but Kuldeep Yadav and Shardul Thakur both played in all three and took six fewer wickets than Siraj.
“Double-perfect score of 200 for Shubman Gill. It was a high-stakes match, but they were able to perform well despite facing the best competition in the world. India has got in Mohammed Siraj a reliable ally who can help them out in a pinch “Moreover, Manjrekar remarked.
Since a four-match Test series against Australia is coming up soon, Siraj was benched for the series’ final one-day international.
