India’s fast bowler Mohammed Siraj lauded KL Rahul for leading the team with aplomb. Siraj revealed Rahul gives a lot of freedom to the bowlers and the team atmosphere is very good. India defeated Zimbabwe in the second ODI by five wickets at the Harare Sports Club, Harare to take an impregnable lead of 2-0 in the series.
Siraj scalped one wicket and conceded only 16 runs in eight overs. The fast bowler from Hyderabad got the ball to swing away from the right-handers and provided the first breakthrough to the visitors. On the other hand, KL Rahul has led the team from the front in these two ODI matches against Zimbabwe.
Siraj also revealed that the team atmosphere is very good, which is helping every player in giving his best.
“In West Indies and England I bowled also well, my rhythm was good in the first match as well, so my plan was to hit an area consistently without worrying whether I. would get wickets or not,” Siraj said in the post-match press conference.
“First of all, thank you so much, we have won the series. The atmosphere is extremely good. KL Bhai (Rahul) gives a lot of freedom to the bowlers, so the atmosphere is very good. I am enjoying my bowling a lot because I had the outswing from earlier but I was not too confident about it. Now I have worked more on the seam and I have got the confidence as well, and you must have been seeing that it is releasing nicely from my hand. I was bowling with that rhythm only,” Siraj added.
Siraj has made a fine start in his red-ball career but he is yet to take the white-ball forms by storm. The fast bowler has taken five wickets in as many T20I matches while he has picked 13 wickets in 10 ODI matches.
Siraj said: “I just kept belief on myself, because ups and downs are part of everyone’s life, so I just kept belief that I can do it no matter if it is a white ball or red ball.
“So just wanted to keep hitting the right areas and bowl dot balls to build up pressure on the opposition. Starting with the new ball, I went for wickets a few times but as you know white ball doesn’t swing much, so I was planning to consistently hit one area and bowl maiden overs.”
The third and final ODI between India and Zimbabwe will be played on Monday.
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