Credit: IPL
On March 13, 1994, India pacer Mohammed Siraj was born to Mirza Mohammad Ghaus, an auto rickshaw driver, and Shabana Begum, a homemaker. The speedster started playing club cricket at the age of 19 while in November 2015, he broke into first-class cricket. In the Ranji Trophy 2016/17, he bagged 41 wickets in 17 innings of nine matches for Hyderabad and ended up as the third-leading wicket-taker in the tournament. In February 2018, he registered another notable performance for his domestic side in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2017-18. He clinched 23 wickets in seven games at an economy of 5.68 and concluded the competition as the most successful bowler.
In February 2017, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) invested INR 2.6 Crore at the 10th IPL auction in Bengaluru and reserved his services for the season. Playing his debut IPL season, he got 10 wickets in six matches. From 2018 to 2024, he was an essential part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). His best IPL performance came in 2023 when he claimed 19 wickets in 14 games at a thrifty economy of 7.52.
International debut for India
Siraj made his international debut for Team India against New Zealand in a T20 International (T20I) contest played in Rajkot. Appearing in his maiden international game, he scalped 1/53 figures in his four-over spell. In January 2019, he was also handed his ODI debut against Australia in Adelaide.
In August 2021, India hammered England by 151 runs in a Test match played at the iconic Lord’s and Siraj played a key role in victory with his 4/32 figures in the second innings. Siraj notched up his best T20I figures against New Zealand in November 2022 in Napier. In the tied game, he claimed 4/17 figures in his four-over spell.
He recorded his best Test figures of 6/15 against South Africa in Cape Town in January 2024. Earlier, riding on his best ODI performance (6/21 in seven overs) in the Asia Cup 2023 final, India bundled out Sri Lanka on 50 and also lifted the continental trophy for the eighth time.
