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Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj delivered an exceptional spell with the new ball during the side's ODI series opener against Sri Lanka in Guwahati on Tuesday, January 10.
Siraj struck in his second over, dismissing Sri Lankan opener Avishka Fernando to draw first blood for the Men in Blue. The right-arm seamer provided India with yet another breakthrough in his very next over, castling the stumps of Kusal Mendis with a peach of a delivery.
Several fans took to social media, lauding Siraj for his exceptional spell early in the encounter. Here are some of the best reactions on Twitter:
Notably, Mohammed Siraj conceded just 15 runs from his first five overs while bagging two crucial scalps. The talented fast bowler impressed many with his tidy line and lengths, delivering 13 consecutive dot balls in the spell.
The two early wickets helped India gain the upper hand in the contest. Earlier, the home team came up with a fantastic batting performance after being asked to bat first, registering a total of 373 runs.
Virat Kohli was the top performer with the bat for the side as he smashed his 45th ODI century. The right-handed batter scored 113 runs off 87 balls. Openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan also contributed significantly, mustering 83 and 70 runs, respectively.
Mohammed Siraj has showcased tremendous form in the recent past
While senior pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami missed several matches due to injuries last year, Mohammed Siraj emerged as the leader of India's pace attack with consistent performances.
The 28-year-old finished as the leading wicket-taker for India in ODIs in 2022, picking up 24 wickets in 15 matches. He further bagged seven wickets in T20Is along with 11 scalps in Test matches in the calendar year.
Siraj's form will be key for Rohit Sharma and Co. as they look to build a formidable bowling attack for the all-important 50-over World Cup. The ICC event is set to be played in India later this year, in October and November.
