Rohit Sharma heaps praise on Hyderabadi pacer Siraj 

The pacer has improved leaps and bounds in the last one year and he emerged top wicket-taker in the ODI series against Sri Lanka

Hyderabad: Indian captain Rohit Sharma was all praise for Hyderabad pacer Mohammed Siraj who is set to play his first international match at his home when India take on New Zealand in the first ODI on Wednesday.

The pacer has improved leaps and bounds in the last one year and he emerged top wicket-taker in the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Rohit wished Siraj on his first match at home on the eve of their clash.

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“He (Siraj) is a very important player for us. He has improved his line and length a lot in the last two years. Now we are getting to see his outswing. He was not known for his swing but he did that against Sri Lanka. That is very good for the team if he can do that with the new ball consistently.”

“He understands his bowling a lot better now which is a big thing in my view. He also knows what the team wants from him. All in all, he has become a very good bowler for us. He can take wickets in all phases and we need bowlers like him. We need to manage him and keep him fresh for the World Cup as well upcoming Tests against Australia,” added the skipper.

Rohit also revealed that Ishan Kishan will bat in the middle order. “Kishan will be batting in the middle order and I am glad he could get a run here after that fine knock in Bangladesh,” he said.

Rohit felt that the opponents will pose a bigger challenge in the ODIs. “It is a great opportunity and great opposition. We can challenge ourselves to achieve what we can as a team. They are coming from a good series in Pakistan. At the same time it is important not to look too much into the opposition. They keep changing but your planning and execution should not change. That has been conveyed to the team members. Last series was a perfect example and we played fearless cricket,” he added.

Meanwhile, Tom Latham, who is leading the side in the absence of experienced Kane Williamson, said that the absence of these two star players will give opportunities to youngsters in the team. “It is a great chance for other players in the team. Their absence will give them an opportunity,” he said.

He also said that they want to make use of this series to prepare for the World Cup which will be held in India. “It is our final chance to play in India before the World Cup. We would want to make the best out of it. We need to adapt to conditions as as well as possible. Great to have guys who have played against these guys in the IPL and other series,” he added.