Mohammed Siraj did not have cricket boots until he was 19 as his parents struggled to meet both ends, the pacer revealed in an episode of Breakfast with Champions.
His father was an auto-rickshaw driver who dreamt, like most other Indian parents, that his son would become an engineer and alleviate their poverty.
However, the fast bowler stuck to his guns of becoming a cricketer with determination and started his career playing in tennis ball leagues in Hyderabad.
What did Siraj say about his formative days?
“I played leagues in Hyderabad and earned Rs. 500 as my first salary. It was then that my mother started believing in my game," he narrated.
“My dad used to drive an auto rickshaw. My brother used to get Rs. 100 as his pocket money, and he used to give me Rs. 70 every day, of which Rs. 40 went towards petrol for the bike.
"We used to play with a tennis ball in villages. I used to play wearing slippers until I was 19. I didn’t have shoes. You need money to buy shoes, right?"
The Dengue Miracle
Siraj's heroics in the local leagues helped him secure a spot in the Hyderbad U-23 team. However, before a crucial fixture, he was diagnosed with dengue and had to get hospitalised.
"My coach informed me that I would be dropped from the team if I didn’t attend practice… So, with the help of my father, I managed to leave the hospital and reached the ground for practice," he recalled.
In that match, SIraj performed exceptionally well in all three departments and showed no signs of dengue.
“When I later went back for tests, it was confirmed that there was absolutely no dengue. I still believe it’s a miracle, possibly due to the prayers of my parents."
How has Siraj performed in IPL 2023?
Siraj has been in exceptional form in this edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for RCB and has picked up 16 wickets in 12 matches.
Despite bowling on a flat M Chinnaswamy track that favours batters, he has an economy of 7.78 and the second-most number of dots (134).
| Matches | Wickets | Dots | Economy | Strike Rate | Average |
| 12 | 16 | 134 | 7.78 | 15.75 | 20.43 |
When will Siraj be in action next?
Siraj will be back in action against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 18 in an IPL league stage fixture.
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