Siraj speaks on learning Kohli's "fighting approach" towards game

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 26 (ANI): Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj talked about his learning from playing alongside former Test skipper and legendary batter Virat Kohli, saying that he learnt having a "fighting approach" in the game where the opposition would be an "enemy" for him.

Siraj recalled his learnings from Virat while speaking to Boria Majumdar at Revsportz. Siraj formed a close bond with Virat during his playing days with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) from 2018 to 2024 and for India across all formats, even going on to term him his "superhero" while congratulating the batting legend on a successful Test career following retirement.

Speaking to Boria, Siraj said, "I have learned this one particular thing from Virat Kohli, and that is his fighting approach in the game. Off the field, he would be talking very nicely, but on the ground, the opposition is the enemy for him. I like this thing about him. And my bowling comes from aggression. If I do not show that on the ground, I would not be able to bowl well. I have been with Virat Kohli in RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) and have had a good bonding with him. Fast bowlers should have aggression on the field, and Virat Kohli has more aggression on the field than the bowlers."

Siraj recalled that during the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval, where India had set 374 runs to win for the hosts, India had a "bit of a shoulder-dropping moment" with a Joe Root and Harry Brook partnership going strong.

"But then, I encouraged everyone, and we went ahead to get the upper hand in the form of the wicket of Root. I have also learned to take crowd support from Virat. Support of the crowd, for a bowler, can make a big difference and get the bowler flying with confidence," he added.

During the tour of England, Siraj ended as India's leading wicket-taker with 23 scalps, with two five-wicket hauls to his name, including a stunning spell at The Oval, where he along with Prasidh Krishna turned the match on its head, leaving England from a consolidated score of 301/4 to 367 all out, with Siraj getting match-winning five-wicket haul that left England six runs short. The series ended in a 2-2 draw.

In a journey that redefined the demands of the game, Virat scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, with 30 centuries and 31 fifties and finished as India's fourth-highest run-getter in the format. He announced his retirement from Tests in May ahead of the England tour, which marked the start of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle 2025-27 for India. (ANI)

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