Mohammed Siraj will kickstart a new journey at the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year as he gears up for his first season with Gujarat Titans (GT) after a long stint with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Having been an integral part of RCB’s pace attack since 2018, Siraj now faces the challenge of adapting to a new franchise while carrying deep-rooted emotions for his former team and its talisman, Virat Kohli.
Reflecting on his time at RCB, Siraj acknowledged the pivotal role Kohli played in shaping his career, especially during his difficult early years in the IPL.
“To be honest, Virat Kohli has a huge hand in my career. He has backed me in my bad time – 2018 and 2019 – he supported me, he even retained me, and after that, my performance and graph went up. He has been very supportive. It has been very emotional for me to leave RCB. Let’s see what happens when I come against RCB. The match is on April 2,” Siraj told ANI.
Siraj’s departure from RCB marks the end of an era for a bowler who became the franchise’s third-highest wicket-taker. Across 87 matches, he claimed 83 wickets at an average of 31.45, with a best of 4/21.
His most impressive season came in 2023, where he took 19 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 19.74 and an economy rate of 7.50. While he consistently delivered breakthroughs, the elusive IPL trophy remained beyond reach for both him and RCB.