12 April,2024 07:43 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Mohammed Siraj (Pic: AFP)
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh feels Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) struggling speedster Mohammed Siraj should be rested so that he can regain his form.
Siraj has been chasing the shadow of his past in the ongoing IPL 2024. In six matches, the 30-year-old speedster has claimed just four wickets and conceded 229 runs in 22 overs.
Harbhajan believes Siraj looks "tired" and needs to be rested for a couple of matches so that he can regain his form.
"Siraj is struggling with the form. He needs to rest his body as well as his mind. He looks tired. He has been struggling for form for the past couple of matches. When a bowler is struggling for form the best thing to do is give him rest," Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel.
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During RCB's seven-wicket loss against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, Siraj bowled three overs, went wicket-less and gave away 37 runs.
His struggle to find rhythm in the ongoing season has been one of the factors that has contributed to RCB's woeful season.
In six games, RCB have just won one and lost five which has taken them to second-last spot.
Despite putting a challenging 196/8 on board against MI, RCB bowlers leaked runs which led to their losing the match yet again.
Harbhajan raised his concerns over RCB's toothless bowling attack. "I can't understand how RCB will win they don't have good bowling, they have batters but it doesn't matter because no matter the amount of runs they put in is always less."
Coming to the match, MI put RCB to bat which saw them post 196/8 in 20 overs. In reply, Ishan Kishan (69 in 34 balls, with seven fours and five sixes), Rohit Sharma (38 in 24 balls, with three fours and three sixes) and Suryakumar Yadav (52 in 19 balls, with five fours and four sixes) did not give RCB a chance to breathe and sealed the win in 15.3 overs.
(With agency inputs)
