RCB's History of Allowing Talent to Slip Away

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans are all too well aware of the agony of watching past players thrive elsewhere. Names such as KL Rahul, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Shane Watson have done so in the past, leaving the franchise only to flourish with other sides. On Wednesday evening, Mohammed Siraj joined this list by producing a match-winning effort against his previous side.

Siraj's Career Transition from RCB to Gujarat Titans

Seven years with RCB saw Siraj progress from being a novice to becoming the side's highest pacer. Before the IPL 2025 mega-auction, he was released from the team. Although he was RCB's joint-highest wicket-taker in 2024 with 15 scalps, the team decided against picking him in favor of retaining uncapped Yash Dayal. 

This decision was also taken with a view to his economic rate and performances at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. But statistics tell us that his economic rate at home (8.81) was not significantly different from his away record (8.53), and his average at home was considerably improved (26.84 against 33.54 away).

A Poetic Comeback to Chinnaswamy

A turn of destiny, Siraj's phenomenal spell of 3 for 19 arrived at the same venue where his performances were questioned. His speed and accuracy were responsible for the Gujarat Titans' win. The game started on a friendly note with exchanges between Siraj and his old teammates, but competitive spirit soon asserted itself. Having been pushed for a boundary by Virat Kohli, Siraj hit back by clean-bowling Devdutt Padikkal, doing his trademark Cristiano Ronaldo celebration, silencing the home crowd for a moment.​

Emotions Run High

Looking back at his performance, Siraj confessed to being emotional about playing against RCB. "I was a bit emotional because I played here for seven years in the red jersey," he said after being awarded Player of the Match. "Now it's a different color. I was a bit nervous and a bit emotional, too. But as soon as I got the ball, I was full on."

Strategic Control of Important Batsmen

Siraj's out-of-form Phil Salt demonstrated his strategic ability. The initial failure came when Jos Buttler dropped Salt, but Siraj continued to press on with a strategy to bowl short and on a good length, targeting Salt's relative vulnerability to such balls. That plan came to fruition as Siraj got rid of Salt with one that nipped away off the seam.​

A Testimony to Faith and Readiness

Siraj focused on the role of self-confidence and practice in his game. "I have only one mindset that as a bowler, it is crucial to have belief," he said. "If you don't have belief, then obviously you will panic from inside. So, the most important thing is to have the belief that I can do it.

Siraj's dominating performance against RCB not only demonstrated his improvement as a cricketer but was also a heart-wrenching reminder to his previous franchise about the talent they decided to let go.