"That's one area that he needs to work on" - Salman Butt wants Mohammed Siraj to improve his fielding

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt reserved high praise for Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj after his rise to the No.1 spot in the ICC ODI rankings for bowlers.

While Butt seemed mighty impressed with Siraj's bowling exploits, he urged him to work on his fielding. He feels this is one area he needs to improve on.

The fast bowler's aggressiveness, according to the 38-year-old, will enable him to excel in all three formats. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Butt said:

"He has bowled tremendously well in the recent past. His wicket-taking ability is getting better and better. His aggression is quite suitable for all kinds of cricket. The only thing that he needs to improve is his fielding. That's one area that he needs to work on. He is a wonderful bowler."

Notably, Siraj has performed exceptionally well for the Men in Blue in recent times. He picked up five wickets in two matches in the recently concluded ODI series against New Zealand.

Furthermore, he was the leading wicket-taker in the home ODI series against Sri Lanka earlier this month, bagging nine scalps from three outings. Siraj moved into the top position in the ICC ODI rankings for bowlers in the 50-over format for the first time on Wednesday, January 25.

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"Have liked his batting ever since I saw him bat during the WTC final against New Zealand" - Salman Butt on Shubman Gill

Salman Butt also lauded Team India opener Shubman Gill for his consistent performances with the bat. He stated that the youngster's batting is a treat to watch because of his elegant strokeplay.

The former cricketer mentioned that he became a fan of Gill from the time he saw him bat against New Zealand during last year's World Test Championship (WTC) final in Southampton.

"Shubman Gill looks in no rush when he is at the crease," Butt added. "He has the ability to score at an impressive strike rate by playing normal cricket shots. He looks very elegant.

"I have liked his batting ever since I saw him bat during the WTC final against New Zealand. The first time I saw him, I thought, 'This is a player who is going to have a wonderful future.' Cricket needs touch-players like him."

Gill is currently the highest-ranked Indian batter in the ICC ODI rankings. He jumped to sixth place after the ODI series against New Zealand, where he aggregated 360 runs in three games, including two centuries.