Mohammed Siraj expresses frustration over challenging conditions for bowlers in T20 cricket

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pacer Mohammed Siraj has voiced his frustration over the challenging conditions for bowlers in T20 cricket, citing the lack of assistance from smaller grounds and flat pitches. Siraj’s comments come in the wake of teams consistently surpassing the 250-run mark in this IPL season, showcasing the dominance of aggressive batting and the impact of the ‘Impact player’ rule.

“See, nowadays cricket is really different, now 250-260 is made in every second match, earlier 250 was a rare thing,” Siraj remarked after RCB successfully chased down a 201-run target set by Gujarat Titans in just 16 overs in Ahmedabad.

The trend of high-scoring matches has put bowlers at a disadvantage, with batsmen taking full advantage of conducive playing surfaces to set daunting targets. Siraj acknowledged the challenges faced by bowlers in the evolving dynamics of T20 cricket, where containment becomes increasingly difficult.

“As a bowler, you have to keep the self-belief. I have seen lots of ups and downs in life, so I don’t give up if 1-2 matches don’t go my way. I look for a comeback,” Siraj stated, emphasizing the importance of resilience in the face of adversity.

Despite Gujarat Titans’ recent struggles in the IPL, batsman Sai Sudharsan remains optimistic about the team’s prospects, stressing the need to focus on winning all remaining matches to enhance their playoff chances.

“I don’t think many things are going wrong. As a team we are doing well, definitely. It’s just the result. If we had won this game, maybe many things would have been good. Getting better and just showing up for the next game is what is very important,” Sudharsan said.

With GT currently at seventh place in the IPL standings, the team will need to regroup and strive for consistency in their performances to keep their playoff hopes alive.