How to endure hardships with fortitude: Mohammed Siraj’s dream finally takes flight

Not long ago, Mohammed Siraj was an unknown entity in the cricketing circles. Playing club cricket in Hyderabad, the right-arm pacer caught his state selectors' attention with a series of five-wicket hauls in a club competition. First a selection in the under-23 side and then the senior Hyderabad team followed.

In November 2015, he made his first-class debut, remarkably, within a year of his first taste of the cricket ball. Siraj's rise through the ranks was swift. 41 wickets in the 2016/17 Ranji Trophy season, just his second outing in the tournament, forced Sunrisers Hyderabad's hands at acquiring his services for the Indian Premier League.

"I started with tennis ball cricket, then around two-three years back, I started playing in club leagues with the cricket ball. Subsequently, I was selected in the state team, then the Ranji Trophy, where I played the whole of last season," Siraj told Sportskeeda in an exclusive chat.

What made his progress smooth were the years he toiled hard in the face of adversity. An auto-rickshaw driver, Siraj's father didn't let his son's love for the sport prove futile. As the pacer revealed, his focus was on cricket and (rather surprisingly) studies before he became a professional and started earning a livelihood through the sport.

"I wasn't doing much, just used to study and play cricket."

IPL and India debut

A bid of Rs 2.6 crore had made Siraj SRH's player and as huge an amount brought a lot of pressure along with it. The Hyderabadi, though, eased into the Sunrisers line-up and returned with 10 wickets in six matches, including a man of the match performance against the Gujarat Lions.

Continuing his dominance on the batsmen, the 23-year-old then performed admirably for India A on their tour to South Africa. The selectors had his eyes set on him and he received a call-up to the senior India side.

Teary-eyed, Siraj took the field in the Blue of India on 4th November 2017, against New Zealand. "I was ecstatic, it was a huge moment for me, I had finally realised my dream," he said.

He credited his coach Bharat Arun for the same as well.

A moment to cherish for young Mohammed Siraj as he makes his debut for India today #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/0ttCZpLeoo
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 4, 2017

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His life, quite naturally, has taken a turn for good. Respect, he says, is one thing that comes along with the opportunity of playing for the nation.

"A lot of changes, you can't even imagine. I get a lot more respect than before, now that I have played for the country.

"What else do I need?"

Siraj's debut though wasn't as good as he would have wanted it to be. 53 runs and a wicket in four overs. A lot of cricketers would let that get to their heads, not him, however. And it only helps if you have a bowler-loving captain in Virat Kohli.

How's he as a captain? Siraj reveals.

"Unfortunately, my match against him in the IPL was washed out, however, as a captain he is very supportive and backs his bowlers irrespective of the situation."

The match was also a big learning curve for the youngster, who has a plethora of years ahead of him in the international circuit.

"The debut helped me learn a lot of things about my bowling. The wicket was already on the slower side and still, I tried bowling slower ones. So, that wasn't as effective and I went for runs. So the more I gain experience, the better I'll get."

Test match bowling, Rahul Dravid's influence and what it takes to overcome odds

We are well versed with his limited-overs exploits through the IPL, but with 57 wickets in just the 15 first-class matches, Siraj has all the requisites to be a world-class exponent of test match bowling as well.

"In tests, ensuring that the deliveries are of good length and the line is around the off stump is of paramount importance. In one-dayers, back of a length, backfoot line works and in T20s, variations - slower bouncers, yorkers etc."

During his stint with the India 'A' team, Siraj got the opportunity to work with Rahul Dravid as well. With a keen eye for detail, Dravid, according to the pacer, helps with every small issue.

"He is, as you know, very good. Keeps our motivation high and backs us. Helps us with even the smallest of flaws, aise nai aise karo.

"He is a proper legend, very good."

For now, the 23-year-old has set simple goals for himself. "I just want to play good cricket, without thinking much of the outcomes." His next assignment - the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.

By the end of the interview, Siraj had an important message to pass onto his fans and everyone who has had to face adverse conditions in their lives.

"Follow your passion and never give up. Passion is the most important thing."

Fortitude is all that's needed.