Life changed completely after IPL auction, says Mohammed Siraj

23-year-old Mohammed Siraj was definitely a surprise inclusion in India’s T20 squad for the upcoming series. The Hyderabad pacer came to the fore with some brilliant performances for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL last year. The franchise had splurged a whopping 2.6 crores, from a base price of 20 lakhs, to get his services and the risk paid off really well with the youngster ending up with 10 wickets in only six matches in his maiden IPL campaign.

Explaining how the money earned Siraj from the League helped him overcome his financial hurdles and concentrate on the game better, he told the Times of India, "Life completely changed after the IPL auction. The atmosphere in my house has got a complete makeover. We lived in rented houses earlier, now we own a house."

The soft-spoken bowler was surprisingly calm after the national call-up. He was practising in the nets prior to Hyderabad's Ranji Trophy contest against Karnataka when the opposition players informed him of his national selection. Not giving away any emotional tinges, the player said, “I'm very excited about the call-up because it is a dream come true. I knew I had it in me to make it to the Indian team, especially after my performance in the previous Ranji Trophy season and the IPL.”

“I sat out of the first few matches and then earned the Match of the Match against Gujarat Lions for my match-winning performance (4 for 32). Also, playing for India 'A', I did well against South Africa (away tour) and New Zealand as well."

Before the IPL extravaganza, Siraj had picked up 41 wickets in the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy season, playing a pivotal role as Hyderabad entered the knockouts. He has been a significant cog in the India A wheel in their games against New Zealand, South Africa, and Afghanistan, where he took 17 wickets in eight games.

He praised Rahul Dravid for his instructions on A tours. He said, “Dravid sir told me to continue the process due to which I've tasted success. He asked me not to change anything in my bowling. So in recent times, I have focused more on improving my success."