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SPORTS FEBRUARY 03, 2023 | The Indian Eye 37

Mhambrey challenged Siraj to work game has improved. You are figuring
on specific aspects of his game in the out your game, shots and the way you
middle of last year and the extra train- construct your innings. When you bat
ing that the energetic quick has put in in ODIs, you also get to bat with two
has paid off in spades judged on re- absolute legends. Rohit and Virat.
cent performances. Rohit opens with you. Once he gets
Siraj took nine wickets against Sri out, Virat walks in,” said Dravid.
Lanka to be the leading wicket-taker Gill remarked that it has been
for the three-game series and backed an amazing experience for him to bat
that up by claiming a four-wicket haul in with Rohit and Virat.
the opening match of the recently-com- “I have grown up admiring them,
pleted series against New Zealand. watching them. I used to think about
Siraj has been India’s go-to bowl- how they were able to perform consis-
er in the first 10 overs of the initial tently. To be able to pick their brains
powerplay, though he has found suc- is amazing,” added Gill.
cess at every phase of the game. Of-
ten, he has provided team India with Rohit Sharma slams critics
good starts by taking early wickets,
which was increasingly evident in re- after ton in 3rd ODI
cent ODI outings against Sri Lanka
and New Zealand. ohit slammed the broadcast-
In 2022, he was India’s highest ers for displaying visuals that
wicket-taker in ODIs, having taken 24 Mohammed Siraj has become a bowling sensation (ANI) Rsuggest he has been underper-
scalps in 15 matches at an average of forming and refuted talks surround-
23.50 and an economy rate of 4.62. His But the confidence you and Rohit desire to get better. Just the way you ing his form while addressing a press
best bowling figures last year were 3-29. bhai showed boosted me,” said Gill. have been taking those slip catches conference in Indore on Tuesday.
Head coach Dravid remarked tells me that something is clicking and Rohit looked in supreme touch in
Don’t think my father would be that two things that stood out about the you are looking forward to bringing the third ODI against New Zealand
batter over the last six to eight months
the best out of yourself. For me, this
and brought up his 30th ODI ton, his
happy, quips Gill are his hunger to score and maturity. has been a remarkable change. For first since January 2020 in the 50-over
“You have always loved to bat, me, you were always a precarious format in just 83 balls. “And for your
ollowing his match-winning your ability to bat and score runs I talent and had maturity above your first hundred in three years, I’ve played
century against New Zealand have seen. As a coach, you want to age. Anyone who has seen you would only twelve ODIs in three years. So,
Fin the third ODI, Indian opener see the hunger in young kids and a say that. Your understanding of the three years sounds like a lot. But in
Shubman Gill jokingly remarked that those three years, I’ve played only
he does not think that his father would twelve or 13 ODIs, if I’m not wrong.
be happy with his performance in the BCCI announces successful bidders No. You guys should know what is
match since he could not go on to con- happening. I know, it was shown on
vert his century into a bigger score. for Women’s Premier League the broadcast. Sometimes we need to
Centuries from openers Rohit show the right things. Also, the entire
Sharma and Shubman Gill followed he Board of Control for BCCI’s secretary Jay Shah con- last year we didn’t play ODI cricket.
by three-wicket hauls from Shardul Cricket (BCCI) announced firmed the news and shared a tweet We were focusing on T20 cricket a
Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav help In- Tthe successful bidders of regarding the announcement. lot,” explained the right-hander.
dia defeat New Zealand by 90 runs in the Women’s Premier League on “Today is a historic day in crick- The Indian skipper featured in
the third and final ODI of the series at Wednesday. BCCI received a total et as the bidding for teams of the only three matches in 2021, scoring
the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore bid of Rs 4669.99 crore for Women’s inaugural #WPL broke the records 90 runs. In 2022 the Mumbai Indi-
on Tuesday. “I do not think he (Shub- IPL which is more than Men’s IPL of the inaugural Men’s IPL in 2008! ans skipper played eight matches and
man’s father) will be happy with my in 2008. The Adani Group, Capri Congratulations to the winners as made 249 runs at an average of 41.50.
performance in this game. He would Global, and the owners of the men’s we garnered Rs 4669.99 cr in total The 35-year-old lauded Moham-
have told me to carry on and look to IPL teams Mumbai Indians, Del- bid. This marks the beginning of a med Siraj who has risen through the
convert it into a big score,” quipped hi Capitals, and Royal Challengers revolution in women’s cricket and ranks to become one of the most po-
Gill in a video posted by BCCI fea- Bangalore won bids to purchase the paves the way for a transforma- tent pacers in the Indian pace attack.
turing Indian men’s team head coach five women’s IPL teams following tive journey ahead not only for our Rohit acknowledged that the speed-
Rahul Dravid. the auction held in advance of the women cricketers but for the entire ster has developed his game according
The 23-year-old batter said that to the team’s requirements and has
he likes playing in ODIs since he gets tournament’s debut season, which sports fraternity. The #WPL would put his hand up to deliver for the team.
bring necessary reforms in women’s
will be held in March of this year.
enough time to figure out how the The teams’ respective home cricket and would ensure an all-en- “Yes, about, Siraj. I’ve spoken a
surface is behaving and then express bases will be in Mumbai, Delhi, compassing ecosystem that benefits lot about him. The more cricket he’s
himself and play his shots. Bangalore, Ahmedabad, and Luc- each and every stakeholder. The @ played, he’s become better. In terms
“This is one of the formats I like of understanding his bowling. He un-
to bat in. This gives me some freedom know. No Women’s IPL teams from BCCI has named the league - Wom- derstands what the team is expecting
Chennai and Kolkata.
en’s Premier League (WPL). Let the
in the start to be able to see what is The auction, which took place journey begin,” tweeted Jay Shah. from him to come and take the new
there in the wicket and then I express in Mumbai earlier today and in The player auction will be held ball, swing the ball, and get early wick-
myself, play those shots and showcase which the winners were announced in the first week of February and the ets and wickets in the middle overs
my game. In the first ODI against Sri after opening sealed bids, brought in auction purse will be Rs 12 crore again. He’s got so many skills; he can
Lanka, I was not sure I would be play- a record amount of Rs 466.99 crore (USD 1.46 million approx.) per come and do all those kinds of skills.
ing as Ishan Kishan had just scored a for the BCCI. franchise. So, the more he plays, the more he
double hundred in the previous game. plays, the better he gets,” said Rohit.

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