'The entire credit goes to Virat bhai': Mohammed Siraj heaps praise on Virat Kohli for continuous support

Mohammed Siraj first played for Bangalore in 2018 when Virat Kohli was leading the team. At that time, Siraj was young and had a raw pace, which is why he proved erratic at times. He had made his debut in 2017 for Hyderabad, where he played six games and took 10 wickets at an economy rate of 9.21. A horrible season of the Indian T20 League can be career-destroying for a player. However, Siraj got the backing of Virat Kohli. The pacer made full use of the support and went on to become one of the best Indian pacers.
His international success started with his Test debut in 2020. After a heroic performance against Australia, Siraj didn't look back and cemented his place as one of the lead pacers.

However, all this would not have been possible had Virat Kohli not backed him. Siraj recently credited Virat Kohli for all his success and said that whatever he is today is because of Virat Kohli.

“In 2018 I had my worst year in terms of performance for RCB. Had it been any other franchise, I would have probably been released. Any other team would have dropped me but Virat showed support and retained me. The entire credit goes to Virat bhai. Whatever I am today – the confidence in my bowling and everything – it wouldn’t have been possible without Virat," Siraj said as quoted by News 18.

The 28-year-old added that every bowler needs a captain like Virat Kohli, adding that his energy levels on the field keep the bowlers charged up. “A captain like him is very important for bowlers. Virat’s energy on the field is such that if a fast bowler is seeking energy to bowl, he just needs to look at him. Even if a bowler’s energy level drops, all he needs to do is just look at Virat Kohli and the way he marshals his troops. It will come back. He is very different and unique," Siraj added.