Mohammed Siraj is up there at the top of the wickets every time: Josh Hazlewood

The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) has just been completed, and Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood was full of praise for his Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammate Mohammed Siraj's performances in the cash-rich league. Siraj will be in action against Australia in the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final at The Oval in London starting from June 7.

Notably, India were defeated by the Black Caps in the first WTC final in 2021 and will be on the hunt for the Test mace in their second consecutive summit clash, whereas this would be Australia's first final.

Siraj was instrumental for RCB in the 16th edition of the lucrative league. One of the most prominent changes he underwent over the last year was his accuracy in the powerplay and his demonstration of control over his line and length in the death. Due to an injury, Hazlewood was sidelined for the first half of the IPL, but Siraj led the charge for RCB in all those matches.

Hazlewood heaped praise on Siraj, saying that the Indian bowler was bowling brilliantly and had excellent control. The 32-year-old also said that Siraj was up to the mark competing in every single stat for which a bowler is eligible.

"I was a bit late getting there (to RCB this year), but before then he was on fire. His control was great and he is bowling well," Hazlewood was quoted as saying by International Cricket Council (ICC).

"He is up there at the top of the wickets every time, and the economy rate was probably the thing as bowling at Chinnaswamy (RCB's home ground) is impossible sometimes and he was going at six or six-and-a-half an over," the 32-year-old added.

Siraj finished his IPL 2023 campaign with RCB as the team's highest wicket-taker. The 29-year-old picked up 19 wickets from 14 matches at an economy rate of 7.50. Meanwhile, in Test Cricket, he has taken 47 wickets from 33 innings at an economy rate of 3.29 and will be a key component of the Indian side.