Siraj said that Lokesh Rahul’s advice to bowl in tight length paid off

India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj attributed his success in the second ODI against Sri Lanka to the advice of wicketkeeper Lokesh Rahul, who was able to understand the Eden Gardens pitch and conditions very well here. Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets each as Sri Lanka were bundled out for 215 in 39.4 overs on a batting-friendly pitch.

Siraj said during the innings break that Rahul realized that the ball stopped moving after the first over itself, after which a new strategy was adopted against the experienced Sri Lankan batting line-up which was between hard length (good length and short ball). The length on which it is not easy to score runs) was to be bowled. Siraj, who took three wickets for 30 runs in 5.4 overs in Sri Lanka’s innings, said, “The ball was not coming fast enough and was not swinging enough.” So the plan was to bowl at the stumps and create pressure from one end, hoping to get wickets and help other bowlers.

The plan worked as Siraj dismissed Sri Lankan opener Avishka Fernando (20) to give India their first breakthrough and Kuldeep took advantage of the pressure they created to destroy the opposition’s middle order. Siraj said, “Lokesh Rahul told me that after one over the ball stopped swinging, so I bowled on the hard length. It was a good wicket to bat on but Kuldeep bowled very well to destroy the middle order.