IPL 2025: Didn’t celebrate Rohit bhai’s wicket because I’ve a lot of respect for him, says Siraj

New Delhi: Gujarat Titans pacer Mohammed Siraj opened up about bowling to Rohit Sharma and the muted celebration that followed after he clean bowled the former Indian captain in his second match of the IPL 2025.

Now donning the Gujarat Titans jersey after years of service at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Siraj has quietly but strongly scripted one of the most inspiring comebacks of the season.

Bowling to Rohit in the ninth match of the ongoing IPL, Siraj got hit for a boundary but came back sharply with a perfect inswinger to knock back the stumps. Speaking on JioHotstar’s Gen Bold special, he said, “My first match didn’t go well — it was a high-intensity game after a long break. But I learned from it and focused on my bowling. Against Rohit bhai, I tried swinging the ball twice, but it didn’t work. Then I stuck to my plan and got the wicket. I have a lot of respect for him, which is why I didn’t celebrate much.”

Siraj also reflected on the time he was left out of India’s squad for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy. That moment, he said, pushed him to focus on himself and his skills.

“My plan was to stay in the present. The Champions Trophy selection was very important to me, but I told myself it’s not over yet. ICC events mean a lot to any player — but I knew I had to focus on my skills and fitness. I had to enjoy my bowling again. Now, I feel confident and I’m enjoying it a lot.”

There were more emotions for Siraj when he played against his former team RCB and met his former captain Virat Kohli on the field. “I have played with RCB for seven years, so I know the team well. I was a bit emotional during that moment. But after that, you saw what happened.”

Against RCB, Siraj bowled a fiery spell and finished with figures of 3 for 19 in four overs. He picked up key wickets in the powerplay and was later named Player of the Match.

The highlight of the night was playing in front of his family in Hyderabad. Siraj said it was one of the most special moments of his career. “The most memorable moment was having my family in the stadium. Performing in front of them gives me a lot of confidence. My parents supported me so much and worked really hard — we’ve seen tough times. But when their son performs in front of thousands, they feel proud. I felt amazing knowing they were there — it’s a different feeling, hard to describe, but I really enjoyed that moment. Even though I was technically a visiting player, it felt like bowling at home. That made it even more special,” the pacer said.

IANS