India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj went to his father’s graveyard first thing after landing in Hyderabad, his home town, as he returned from India’s tour of Australia.
The 27-year-old fast bowler had lost his father days after arriving in Australia from the UAE. Siraj chose not to attend head home and stayed back with the team to fulfill his father’s dream.
He had called his mother right after the personal loss. She gave him the courage and confidence to stay back in Australia and do what her husband always wanted Siraj to do — play for India and make a match-winning contribution.
Siraj made his Test debut in the second Test in Melbourne and finished the Border-Gavaskar series with 13 wickets – the most by any Indian bowler. He went on to pick up his maiden five-wicket haul and looked up to the skies and told his father who was blessing him from there that he had done it!
Mohammed Siraj visits his father’s graveyard
Siraj went from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad to the graveyard to pay tributes to his father.
India’s hero #Siraj paying homage at the grave of his father Mohd Ghouse who passed away when he was on tour outside the country; the son has returned after fulfilling the father’s much cherished dream to see his son play for the country & make it win @ndtv @ndtvindia #MohdSiraj pic.twitter.com/X44GUc2WdX
— Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) January 21, 2021
Speaking to Sports Today Siraj said “I didn’t go home, directly. I went to the graveyard straight from the airport, I went there to sit with my dad for some time. I couldn’t speak to him but offered flowers to his grave,” Siraj said.
“And then I came home. When I met my mom, she started crying. Then I tried to console her, telling her not to cry. It was a different feeling. After 6-7 months, her son had come home. Mom was always waiting for me to return. She was counting down how many days were left for me to return.”
Siraj topped the wicket-takers’ charts for India in his maiden tour. With 13 wickets in 3 matches, Siraj went past Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin’s tally. The youngster played a crucial role in helping India breach Australia’s Gabba fortress with 6 wickets in the Test.
