Gujarat Titans fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has said the break he got after India's tour of Australia has helped him come back refreshed for IPL 2025.
"When I had a rest, I was working a lot on my bowling, my fitness and my mentality," Siraj said after taking 4 for 17 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, his best figures in the IPL. "The body is fresh, so I am really enjoying my bowling. The ball is coming out of my hand much better."
Siraj was India's second highest wicket-taker in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but was subsequently dropped from their Champions Trophy squad. He has, however, made a strong start in the IPL and is currently the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the league - nine wickets in four innings at a strike rate of 10.66 and an economy of 7.75.
While Siraj has found movement with the new ball, he has also been effective at the death. He's already taken three wickets in four innings at the death this season; he had five in IPL 2024.
Siraj said the IPL allowing saliva to be used on the ball once again - it has been banned in international cricket ever since the Covid pandemic - had made a difference in getting the ball to tail into the batters late in the innings. On Sunday, he dismissed Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma in the powerplay before getting rid of Aniket Verma and Simarjeet Singh in the 19th over.
"If the ball tails in a bit, it is a wicket," Siraj said. "When there is no saliva, the ball comes onto the bat easily and makes it easy for the batters. This rule makes it much better for the bowlers.
"A little bit of tail in and the chances for lbw and bowled increase. The wicket is slow, I tried to swing it a little at the start, but it did not happen. The more you attack the stumps, the better it is."