My father will never drive an auto again, says Hyderabad's 2.6 cr buy Mohammad Siraj
© Siraj Facebook
Sunrisers Hyderabad's newest bowler Mohammad Siraj has proudly exclaimed that his father will never have to drive an auto rickshaw again after the youngster secured a 2.6 crore contract in the IPL auction. The youngster also expressed his excitement to play against Bangalore and Virat Kohli.
The 22-year-old Hyderabad resident will play alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ashish Nehra, and Mustafizur Rahman for the Sunrisers this year. Siraj appeared humbled by the amount that his city's franchise had spent to secure his signature.Â
“Definitely, my dad (Md. Ghouse) will not drive the auto now which he has been doing for three decades. That’s it," Siraj told the Hindu.
“He has sacrificed so much and it is my turn to take care of him and my family.
"I was expecting to be picked by some franchise in the IPL auction. But, the price which Sunrisers bid for me is unbelievable. This is the biggest day of my career.”
Siraj has had an impressive 2016 when he claimed 41 wickets in the Ranji Trophy season including 9 wickets against Mumbai in a single match. Now that he has made his debut for the India A team and will play in the IPL, the 22-year-old has now set his sights on breaking into the Indian team.
“Well, the first target was to play for India-A and now I will use this IPL platform to come up with good performances to stake my claim for a slot in the Indian team," Siraj said.
“With the Champions Trophy coming up, I am determined to come good and prove a point or two,” he said.
“When I look back I think my bowling against Mumbai in the Ranji knockout game when I picked up nine wickets changed the course of my career."
Siraj is predominantly a bowler who plays the longest format of the game but recently with the India A team and in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he has proved that he can perform in limited-overs cricket as well with an average of 17.18 in 10 T20 matches. The youngster paid homage to Hyderabad Ranji coach Bharat Arun and captain S Badrinath for their contribution in getting him to the biggest stage.
“Yes, I have to make some adjustments to be a different bowler in the T20 format though I am not new to this, having experienced the tough challenges in the recent Mushtaq Ali Trophy. I have to improve my skills with those slower ones and
“I must give credit to Bharat Arun Sir (Hyderabad Ranji coach) and captain S Badrinath for the faith they had in me right from the start of the Ranji season. They have been my great source of strength and inspiration.
“I am also grateful to fellow Hyderabad fast bowlers Chama Milind and Ravi Kiran for always encouraging me,” said the speedster who was spotted by Jyothi Prasad, chairman of the Hyderabad selection panel and a former Ranji fast bowler himself.
When asked to name one game that he was excited to play, Siraj picked the encounter against the star-studded team of Bangalore that includes the fearsome trio of Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, and A.B. de Villiers.
“That (RCB) is one game I am really excited about,” he concluded.
