Mohammed Siraj's performance is one of biggest takeaways from ODI series: Kaif

Kolkata: The ODI series between India and Sri Lanka saw some stellar performances from Team India as they clean sweeped Sri Lanka 3-0.

With a lot of positives to take from the series on the road to the World Cup, there were some great performances in both the batting and bowling departments in the series.

Mohammed Kaif, in an exclusive interaction with Star Sports, spoke on the three major takeaways for Team India, the new opening combination of Rohit Sharma and Shubhman Gill and his thoughts on the bowling department as they prepare for the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup later this year.

Speaking exclusively on Star Sports show ‘Follow the Blues’, former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif spoke on what the three major takeaways were for Team India post their ODI series against Sri Lanka.

He said, “Three key takeaways would be first, I think Mohammed Siraj. Wanting to win the World Cup in India on flat conditions, I think Mohammed Siraj has done so well. If you see the last couple of matches he's been bowling well, getting the breakthrough with the new ball. Mohammed Shami is also back but is unable to find a victim with the new ball, on the other hand, Mohammed Siraj has done a great job. He has got wickets even when he comes in to bowl towards the end.

"Overall I think Mohammed Siraj, the two openers and Virat Kohli the way he got his century in the last game and also Kuldeep Yadav the way he bowled in the second ODI,” Kaif said.

He spoke on India’s new opening combination of Sharma and Gill and how they complement each other at the start of the inning.

Kaif said, “I think both the batters got similarities because they like to play on the back foot. The way they play square of the wicket, they like to play pull shots and not so much of foot work but the way they play square of the wicket, the fine leg and through the cover points is fantastic to see."

"Appealing to the eyes, both the batsmen have got elegance. Both the batsmen have the capability to stay at on pitch batting for a longer time and for that reason it is difficult to bowl against them because if you make even a small mistake these guys will punish you. The way Rohit Sharma has started as a captain, he's trying to set that tone in the power play, stepping out and playing over point pulling the ball. I think he knows that if India wants to win the World Cup, he should be the one as the aggressor in the power play," he said.

Kaif also gave us his thoughts on India’s bowling unit and what were the positives and negatives of the ODI series.

He said, “They are bowling well with the old ball. They have the bowler who can pick wickets, Mohammed Siraj with the new ball, he's taking wickets. They got Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav who can take wickets in the middle overs. They have Umran Malik who can get wickets in the middle overs but in the death overs, in the first ODI we seen that in the last 13 overs there was no wicket taken by the Indian bowlers."

"Shanaka got a 100 that game, although Sri Lanka had lost the game but I think we need to improve on our death bowling. That's where we are missing Bumrah very much because he is a genuine match winner, a wicket taker. He can bowl Yorkers, he can bowl lower balls. I think India needs to improve their death bowling especially in the last 10-12 overs,” Kaif added. (UNI)