“In New Zealand, we had Neil Wagner” - Kane Williamson likens Mohammed Siraj to Wagner

Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who won the Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year award at the CEAT Cricket Awards 2025, has heaped praise on the Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj for his exceptional commitment to the game of cricket.

Speaking on the sidelines of the CEAT Cricket Awards 2025 event in Mumbai on Tuesday, October 7, Williamson asserted that he has been observing Siraj’s talent since his early days at the Sunrisers Hyderabad, adding that he is a player who puts the team first always.

“I got to know him early in his career before he represented India, observing his talent as a young cricketer for Sunrisers in the IPL,” Williamson said.

“What sets him apart is his relentless commitment to putting the team first and his desire to take the ball, even when the game might not be moving. He always wants to be the player who changes the game by bowling long spells, and this attitude is contagious within the team.”

“In New Zealand, we had a similar presence in Neil Wagner, who would always take on challenges without backing down. Mohammed Siraj embodies that spirit,” Williamson concluded.

In the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Siraj concluded the series as the leading wicket-taker with 23 wickets from five games. Interestingly, he was the lone pacer to play all five Tests of the series from both sides.

Interestingly, Siraj was hailed throughout the series for managing the workload perfectly well and playing all five games of the series. On the other hand, his fellow colleague Jasprit Bumrah could play only three out of five Tests to manage his workload.

However, Siraj has been excluded from the ODI and T20I squads of late. While he wasn’t part of the Asia Cup 2025 campaign, he was excluded for the Australia series as well.

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