Mohammed Siraj Praises Ashish Nehra’s Freedom at GT, Contrasts with RCB Experience

Mohammed Siraj Praises Ashish Nehra’s Freedom at GT: Belonging currently to GT, in the boasting pole position on the IPL 2025 points table, Mohammed Siraj has been significant in the fine form of the Shubman Gill-led side. He is its third-highest wickettaker, and also seventh in the Purple Cap race with 11 wickets in seven fixtures, at an economy of 8.96. The ongoing season, he has 4 four-wickets in the current season.

Siraj was bought by GT last year in the mega auction, for ₹12.25 crores. The Indian pacer made his IPL debut in 2018 with SRH before moving to RCB in the same year. To everyone's surprise, RCB released him before the mega auction, which meant he now joined GT.

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Well, when GT met RCB in this season, Siraj was meeting his old team at the place he used to call home in Bengaluru. He had an impressive Player of the Match performance with figures of 3/19.

‘When I was with RCB…’: Mohammed Siraj

In a recent interview with Cricbuzz, Siraj opened up about his short time with RCB and also spoke about the Champions Trophy 2025 snub, which India won.

“When I was with RCB, I knew there was a certain way to bowl at the Chinnaswamy. It's a small ground, so I focused on attacking the stumps as much as possible. I knew that trying too much could lead to leaking runs. By keeping it simple and targeting the stumps, I managed to pick up wickets,” he said.

Further speaking on his move to GT, he said, “I was at RCB for seven years, and I've witnessed many ups and downs. Virat Bhai (Kohli) gave me a lot of backing during that time. My success graph did dip there at times. Chinnaswamy is such a small ground, so it's not always easy for bowlers. But in one season, I returned an economy rate of seven (7.52 in 2023), and in a way, I was enjoying my bowling there. I definitely enjoyed my stint at RCB.”

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“Here at GT, coach Ashu Bhai (Ashish Nehra) already knew me from my time at RCB and SRH, as he was with those franchises in different roles. He has given me a lot of freedom. The ambience here is much more relaxed. Freedom is crucial for a professional. Players are under a lot of pressure, and it's important to create a relaxed atmosphere. Ashu Bhai creates that. He tells me, 'I know what you are capable of, so just enjoy your bowling.' For a player, such a display of trust and confidence is truly significant.”

He was in a very lean form ahead of the tournament and was left out of the squad for the Champions Trophy. Opening up on his snub, he said, “For a professional, an ICC event is incredibly important. It's every player's dream to win one. I've always dreamed of playing in the Champions Trophy and doing well for my country, but perhaps it wasn't written in my destiny. At first, it was difficult to reconcile, but I made peace with myself, focussing on improving and performing better. That has given me immense motivation.”

“I started concentrating on my fitness and running. I spoke to Soham Bhai (trainer Soham Desai), who guided me with a programme to work on my fitness. Soham Bhai has been a crucial support system for me, both in the past and present. When I first met him in 2018, I wasn't fully convinced by his methods. But he told me that to achieve big things, one has to sacrifice. I trusted his advice, and now, he knows my body better than I do,” he added.

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