Following Mohammed Siraj’s sixth over during the Asia Cup final, captain Rohit Sharma approached him while the bowler was heading to third man. The two had a conversation, and despite Siraj’s excellent performance, Rohit continued to persist with him for another over.
However, after the next over, even though Siraj was on the verge of achieving a rare seven-wicket haul in ODIs, he was removed from the attack just before Sri Lanka was bowled out for 50 at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
Explaining his decision, Rohit said, “He bowled seven overs in that spell, and seven overs is a lot. So, I got a message from the trainer that we have to stop him now.”
Rohit emphasized that it’s natural for both batsmen and bowlers to be eager to capitalize on any opportunity, but it’s crucial to avoid overexertion. He sees it as his role to ensure that everyone remains composed.
Rohit recalled a similar situation earlier in the year when he had to stop Siraj from pursuing a five-wicket haul against the same opponent in Thiruvananthapuram. “I remember, Siraj was in a similar situation against Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram, and he bowled some eight-nine overs on the trot. He was on four wickets then. So I think seven overs were enough,” Rohit stated.
He praised Siraj’s performance, noting that he had been the standout bowler on the day. Rohit highlighted the unpredictable nature of cricket, where different players can shine on different occasions, saying, “That’s how the sport is so good because a different hero shows up each day. We were riding behind him (Siraj) when he was bowling that spell. We all complemented him.”
