IPL: Mohammed Siraj recalls emotions of facing RCB in Bengaluru
What's the story
Gujarat Titans (GT) fast bowler Mohammed Siraj recently took on his former side Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025.
Having represented RCB for seven seasons, Siraj's loyalty now rests with GT.
His brilliant three-wicket haul guided the Titans to an eight-wicket win over RCB at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 2.
It was an emotional moment for Siraj as he wore GT's blue jersey against his old side.
Transition
Siraj's emotional journey from RCB to GT
Siraj admitted that facing RCB was emotional for him.
"It was emotional because I played here for seven years," he said, revealing how he was nervous and emotional before the match.
But once he had the ball in hand, Siraj was all about his game.
His performance not only got him the player-of-the-match award but also highlighted his journey from being an RCB player to now representing GT with distinction.
Match impact
Key role in restricting RCB's score
In the match against RCB, Siraj was instrumental in restricting the opposition to 169 runs.
His dismissed both Philip Salt and Devdutt Padikkal in the Powerplay, which dented RCB's batting.
Despite some fielding blunders from GT, their bowlers kept RCB under pressure throughout the innings. Siraj sent the dangerous Liam Livingstone back in the penultimate over, denying them those extra runs.
Performance
Siraj aims to march forward
Siraj celebrated his wickets against RCB with his trademark gesture.
He has had a fine start with the Titans, taking five wickets from three matches so far.
His performance against RCB has sparked discussions about his future prospects in the IPL 2025 season.
Siraj expressed gratitude for the support he received during his time with RCB and is now focused on continuing to perform at a high level for GT.
Reflection
Reflections on his time with RCB
As he looks back on his time with RCB, Siraj wrote, "As I take look back on my time in an RCB shirt my heart is full of gratitude, love and emotion."
He called his journey with the team "nothing short of extraordinary," with its ups and downs but unwavering support from fans.
To date, Siraj is the third-highest wicket-taker for RCB in the IPL (83). He was released by RCB following the 2024 season.
Wickets
Siraj eyes 100-wicket mark
Siraj is closing in on 100 IPL scalps. He has raced to 98 wickets at an average of 29.88. His economy rate read 8.65.
Overall in T20 cricket, Siraj has claimed 165 wickets from 144 matches at an average of 25.65 (ER: 8.23).
As per ESPNcricinfo, Siraj has now taken 29 T20 wickets at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium, at 24.72.