Mohammed Siraj has immensely grown as a cricketer since the historic tour of Australia. His rising story is not only emotional but also motivational. People earlier used to think Siraj didn’t deserve to play at the international stage because of his failures in white ball cricket. But he has been able to change people’s mind about him and has become a superstar for India in Tests.
Mohammed Siraj recently played a crucial role in India’s win at Lord’s. Siraj took 8 wickets in the match as India won by 151 runs. Now Siraj has the record for most number of wickets by an Indian bowler in a test match at Lord’s.
However, the young cricketer faced a tragedy in his career before he could make his test debut for India.
‘Mission Domination: An Unfinished Quest’ a new book about Indian cricket which is co-authored by Boria Majumdar and senior PTI sports journalist Kushan Sarkar has revealed a story about Siraj during the dark phase of his life.
Mohammed Siraj broke down on multiple occasions but never gave up
The book mentions that teammates could not even go to Siraj’s room to console him. Siraj broke down on some occasions but he refused to go back or give up.
An excerpt from the new book reads: ‘Siraj had lost his father during the statutory period of 14 days hard quarantine in Australia in November. What this meant was that none of his teammates could even go to his room to give him a shoulder to cry on.
At the time there were cops outside every room just in case the Indians tried to violate protocol. They were being guarded as prisoners who could export Covid to Australia!’ As a result, his teammates were on video calls with him all day. They were concerned he wouldn’t do something drastic or damaging to himself.
Siraj broke down on multiple occasions, which is only natural but never gave up. He was steadfast and resolute. He wanted to fulfil his father’s wish of doing his best for India. When the opportunity came his way at the MCG on the huge occasion of the Boxing Day Test, he just did not want to let it go.’
Mohammed Siraj didn’t disappoint his father or his nation. He emerged as India’s leading wicket-taker in the series. Also, only in his third test match, he was leading the bowling lineup as all senior bowlers were ruled out with injury. But this pressure couldn’t bury him as he took his maiden fifer in the same test.
‘It was only fitting that his teammates handed him the tricolour during the team’s victory march. He was so much more than a cricketer. He was a young boy who had turned into a man in the course of the two months in Australia,’ the book anecdotes.
