Mohammed Siraj’s Powerplay Magic Has Turned Gujarat Titans Into Title Contenders

Mohammed Siraj is enjoying one of the best seasons of his IPL career, and Gujarat Titans are getting full advantage from it. From taking early wickets to putting pressure on batters in the powerplay, Siraj has played a huge role in GT reaching the playoffs of IPL 2026.

Ahead of Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamsala, Siraj looked relaxed during practice sessions. He was even seen clicking pictures of teammates with the Himalayas in the background. Interestingly, the same attention to detail can now be seen in his bowling as well.

This season, Siraj has taken 13 wickets in the powerplay, which is his best performance in this phase in any IPL season. Only Kagiso Rabada and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have taken more powerplay wickets than him in IPL 2026. His economy rate of 7.53 in the powerplay is also among the best in the tournament.

GT’s bowling attack has been outstanding throughout the season. The team has picked up 79 wickets, the highest by any bowling unit this year. Siraj’s aggressive starts with the new ball have helped Gujarat dominate matches early.

The partnership between Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada has become one of the biggest strengths of the team. GT assistant coach Vijay Dahiya praised both bowlers and said their understanding on and off the field has been excellent. According to him, both bowlers complement each other perfectly and understand how to help each other during different phases of the innings.

GT captain Shubman Gill has also used Siraj aggressively because the team has reliable bowlers in the middle overs. Jason Holder has controlled the scoring rate while Rashid Khan has continued to create pressure through spin. This balance has allowed Siraj to attack freely with the new ball.

One of Siraj’s most memorable moments this season came against young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. After getting hit for a six on the first ball, Siraj made a brilliant comeback. He bowled a sharp yorker that struck the batter on the toe and followed it with a short ball that forced a mistimed shot. The wicket showed Siraj’s fighting spirit and confidence.

Another strong performance came against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk. Siraj dismissed Sanju Samson on the very first ball with an outswinger and later finished with a three-wicket haul. After the match, he explained how the red-soil pitch helped his outswing bowling. His comments clearly showed how confident he currently feels about his bowling.

What makes this comeback even more special is where Siraj stood a couple of seasons ago. In 2024, during his final season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he managed only three powerplay wickets while conceding close to ten runs per over. RCB’s decision to retain Yash Dayal instead of him hurt him deeply.

Last season with Gujarat Titans, Siraj slowly started rebuilding his confidence. He picked up nine powerplay wickets and even delivered a match-winning spell against RCB at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. But this season, he has looked like a completely different bowler.

The ball is swinging late, his lengths are fuller, and his rhythm looks perfect. More importantly, Siraj seems to be enjoying his bowling again. Every new-ball spell now feels like an event, and that has become one of the biggest reasons behind Gujarat Titans’ successful IPL 2026 campaign.

                                               

Relevant news