Heartwarming stories of IPL star MOHAMMED SIRAJ

The Indian Premier League has in no time acquired the status of the world’s biggest and the most passionately followed cricket tournament.

Season by season IPL has grown in stature and it would not be an understatement to call it as India’s favorite summer exhibition of colors, passions and real-time entertainment.

In a cricket frenzy country like India, the IPL comes close to quenching this never-ending thirst for the game.

MOHAMMED SIRAJ

It is all right to dream as long as one has the passion and dedication to pursue them and achieve them. Mohammed Siraj, the son of an auto-rickshaw driver in Hyderabad had big dreams but scarce means to achieve them.

That, however, did not dampen his spirit. Siraj learned the basics of the game by himself- by watching cricket and practicing with a tennis ball. Siraj first bowled with a proper cricket ball, not long ago in 2015. The same year Siraj made his dream Ranji debut and picked up 41 wickets in 9 matches.

Though Siraj was not trained, his raw talent, pace, and great accuracy were enough to make him the talk of the town in the domestic circuit. It was in IPL 2017 auctions that Siraj’s hard work got recognition. Although introduced in the auctions at a base price of 20 lakhs, after a bidding war the Sunrisers Hyderabad picked him up for a whopping Rs. 2.6 crores.

Siraj also earned a national call-up but has not been impressive in the 3 opportunities that he has received so far. Another impressive season in the IPL will help Siraj put away all the criticism after his poor performances for India in the T20Is. For a boy from as humble a background as his, there could be nothing more satisfying than wearing the national colors.