India pacer Mohammed Siraj recently recalled his rollercoaster debut Test series in Australia during the 2020-21 season, saying that losing his late father Mohammed Ghaus was a ‘tough’ period for him amid strict COVID-19 protocols and quarantine Down Under.
Siraj was in Australia along with the Indian squad in November 2020 when he learnt of his father’s demise, who passed away aged 53 due to a lung ailment. It was only a month earlier, in October, that Siraj was named in the Team India Test squad for the Australia tour.
File image of Mohammed Siraj. AP
“It was really tough for me. My dad was ill during the IPL too. But family members hadn’t told me that the matter was serious. I got to know about his condition when I landed in Australia. There was Covid-19 protocol as well. We had to quarantine. When we had our practice, I got to know about dad’s death. My mother made me strong during that period. She told me, ‘Fulfil your dad’s dream and make your country proud’,” recalled Siraj at the trailer launch of ‘Bandon Mein Tha Dum’, a web series that will stream on Voot.
“This was my only motivation. I didn’t even know if I will get a chance to play. There were senior bowlers in the team,” the 28-year-old added.
Siraj scalped 13 wickets in his maiden Test series. While he wasn’t picked for the first Test against the Aussies, an injury for Mohammed Shami paved way for Siraj to make his Test debut. He scalped five wickets in his debut Test, while also going on to scalp his maiden five-wicket haul in the fourth Test.
Siraj recalled the moment he received his Test cap. “I finally got an opportunity in the second Test… When I wore my cap in Melbourne, I thought ‘dad should’ve been here’,” the Hyderabad cricketer added.
“After Mohammed Shami got injured, I got a chance to play for India. One thing was there in my mind that I had performed well for India A and had scalped 8 wickets against Australia A. So, it gave me the confidence to do well in my first Test series for India,” continued the pacer.
Siraj also lauded all-format skipper Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, saying: “Rohit understands the mental state of a player. Whenever we have a tough time out there on the field, he is the one who comes up with a plan B and motivates the bowlers to do better in the game. It’s a great feeling to work under a captain who understands you so well.”
Siraj has thus far taken 36 wickets in his 12-match Test career, and will be next seen in India’s rescheduled fifth Test against England in Birmingham on 1 July. The fifth Test which was scheduled to take place in September 2021 when India toured England, was postponed amid concerns of COVID-19 in the Indian camp. India currently lead the series 2-1.
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