Mohammed Siraj’s journey is fuelled by his father’s dream and his mother’s Prayer’s
Mohammed Siraj’s journey from playing street cricket to becoming an international fast bowler is deeply rooted in his family’s unwavering support. His father, Mohammed Ghaus, drove an auto-rickshaw in Hyderabad for over three decades. Despite financial hardships, he was committed to nurturing Siraj’s cricketing aspirations by providing the best gear possible. Siraj’s mother, Shabana Begum, has been a steadfast source of emotional strength. After her husband’s passing, she continued to guide Siraj with love and faith. Her encouragement has been instrumental in helping him navigate both personal and professional challenges Siraj lost his father, Mohammed Ghouse, in 2021 while he was on tour to Australia. Since then, this ritual has helped him stay connected to his father, who was an auto-rickshaw driver and played a huge role in supporting Siraj’s dream of becoming a cricketer. Before leaving for England in June, Siraj packed his bags, hugged his mother, and told her, “Ammi, mere liye dua karna. Main achha karun aur India ko jitau [Mom, pray for me. I want to do well and win for India].” As per ritual, he then went to his father’s grave to pray before heading to the airport. “Apne abbu se bahot pyar karta hai [Siraj loves his father dearly]. And his father loved him just as much — he would have done anything for him. My prayers are always with Siraj. May Allah bless my bachha with success in everything,” his mother Shabana Begum told to news. Shabana never misses a match when Siraj is playing. She watched every game of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, clapping, cheering, and offering five prayers every day. In Islam, these daily prayers happen at dawn (Fajr), noon (Dhuhr), afternoon (Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and night (Isha). She didn’t miss a single one during the England tour. Her prayers seemed to be with him throughout. Siraj played a key role in India’s dramatic win in the fifth Test at The Oval, helping level the series 2-2. “Ammi always prays for bhai. There’s a lot of power in a mother’s prayer. I believe it’s because of both our parents’ blessings that he’s in a good space and doing well for India. He video calls Ammi every day to get her blessings. She always tells him, ‘Hamesha tarakki kar, naam roshan kar’ (Keep growing, make us proud),” said his brother, Mohammed Ismail. Ismail added, “Abbu used to say, ‘Beta, ek din tujhe bahut naam kamana hai. India ke liye khelna hai.’ When he passed away during the Australia tour, Siraj was shattered. But Ammi told him, ‘Jo ho gaya, so ho gaya. Ab game pe dhyan do (What’s done now focus on your game).’” The story of Mohammed Siraj is one of determination and familial sacrifice. His achievements are not solely his own; they reflect the dreams and sacrifices of a family that believed in him wholeheartedly. Their unwavering support transformed a street-cricket enthusiast into an international sensation.
Gavaskar’s satire: work load now should disappear from Indian team’s dictionary!
Legendary India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has hit back at the idea of “workload management,” citing the example of Indian Army jawans who patrol the borders in the harshest conditions. “If you’re going to succumb to people talking about workload, then you’ll never have your best players on the field,” Gavaskar told India Today. The ball that Mohammed Siraj bowled to Gus Atkinson to rattle his stumps was Siraj’s fifth fastest delivery of the series, and this came after five Tests in which he bowled a whopping 185.2 overs. He ended up as the leading wicket-taker with 23 wickets in the series. He was the last bowler remaining from both sides to play all the games at the end alongside Chris Woakes. Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, appreciative of Siraj’s workload, said that he debunked the “business of workload.” “There’s always the saying that the bowlers win your matches, but the fact of the matter is that you’ve also got to score the runs. So because India didn’t score the runs, they lost those two matches. So yes, I think Siraj bowled his heart out, and he debunked forever this business of workload,” he said, speaking to India Today. Gavaskar, however, made it clear that his criticism was not directed at Bumrah, saying that his was a case of “injury management” more than anything else. “When you are playing for your country, forget the aches and the pains. On the border, do you think that the jawans are complaining about cold? What did Rishabh Pant show you? He came out to bat with a fracture. That is what you expect from the players. Playing cricket for India is an honour,” Gavaskar told ‘India Today’. “You are representing 140 crore people and that is what we saw in Mohammed Siraj. I think Siraj bowled his heart out, and he debunked forever this business of workload. “For five Test matches, non-stop he has bowled 7-8 over spells, because the captain wanted him and the country expected of him,” added the former skipper. The 76-year-old said workload management cannot come in the way of fielding the best available team. “If you are going to succumb to people who are talking about workload, then you are never going to have your best players on the field for your country,” he said. “I hope that the word ‘workload’ goes out of the Indian cricket dictionary. I’ve been saying that for a long time… And I think that is the one thing that we all should keep in mind that this workload is only a mental thing, not so much a physical thing,” he added. England, set a target of 374 to win, lost a nail-biting encounter by just six runs, with Siraj returning innings figures of 5/104 as India ended a rollercoaster campaign level at 2-2. The hosts resumed Monday’s final day on 339/6, needing just 35 more runs for a win that would have secured a 3-1 series victory. But they had no answer to the enduring skill of fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who featured in all five Tests. He dismantled England with a brilliant burst of 3/9 in 25 balls, ending the match in style by knocking over Gus Atkinson’s off-stump.
Arshdeep Singh coaches Siraj about making videos for Instagram!
After Mohammed Siraj dragged India over the finish line on Monday at the Oval to help Shubman Gill’s side level the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2, he needed some help. He was trying to figure out the perfect social media clip to encapsulate the moment. In came Arshdeep Singh with an assist. The bowler, who was not used by the coach Gautam Gambhir in any of the five matches against England, helped out Siraj with a content idea. In a video shared by the BCCI on its social media handles after India’s six-run victory, Arshdeep is seen hilariously advising Siraj to film a two-second Instagram Reel. Arshdeep tells Siraj to say the popular catchphrase, “Pressure? What pressure?” — a line made famous by football legend Alan Shearer during the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament. Arshdeep, in fact, even tells Siraj to pause for a second after saying “pressure” for the first time, like a diction and speech coach. Siraj, who looks confused by Arshdeep’s instructions, asks: “Should I upload an Instagram Story or a Post?” Siraj, who looks confused by Arshdeep’s instructions, asks: “Should I upload an Instagram Story or a Post?” He then looks at the BCCI camera person and quips: “Sab sikhaana padta hai bowling ko chhod ke (Other than bowling, have to teach him everything).” Siraj ended the England tour as the highest wicket-taker of the series with 23 scalps in nine innings, including the nine wickets he took in the final Test at the Oval as the leader of the Indian bowling unit in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah.
