“It is an unbelievable moment,” said Hyderabad pacer Mohammed Siraj after being picked for the Indian T20 team to take on New Zealand.
The 23-year-old told The Hindu from Shivamogga, where he is playing the Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka, that he initially couldn’t believe the news which the Karnataka players broke to him.
“It is a dream come true. I was never expecting this call. I was focussing on performing to the best of my ability every time I was given the chance,” said Siraj.
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“The Ranji Trophy performance last season (41 wickets to be the lead wicket-taker for Hyderabad) was the turning point of my career. Then, the IPL performances when I was guided by many greats including Laxman Sir (V.V.S. Laxman). The man-of-the-match performance against Gujarat Lions (four for 32) was a decisive moment in my career and which gave me recognition,” he said.
“I am grateful to Bharat Sir (former Hyderabad Ranji coach Bharat Arun who is now with the Indian team). He was the one who gave me confidence and made me believe in myself. I must say after that Ranji season, I am a different bowler,” Siraj said.
“I am comfortable in all three formats of the game. I am ready for the challenge of bowling in the T20 format for I believe I have the pace, the deception and variety like slower ones, bouncers and the yorkers.”
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Siraj says he learnt a lot about the art of bowling from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ashish Nehra. “Bhuvi bhai is another cricketer whom I adore and I owe a lot to him for being so friendly in giving me invaluable tips,” he said.
Siraj also went down memory lane — from the days when his father drove an auto for a living.
“By Allah’s grace and the blessings of my parents (Mohd Ghouse and Shabana Begum), I am able to reach this far. I also thank the Hyderabad Cricket Association officials, fellow players and all the coaches who helped me in shaping my career,” he concluded.