Mohammed Siraj - Current Form

Cricket is full of anecdotes about players overcoming odds, and high-profile leagues like IPL have become a breeding ground for some players to ladder up the ranks and showcase their abilities.

Born in Hyderabad, Mohammed Siraj's journey to the pinnacle is stimulating to any youngster coming up the ranks. Bridged with zeal and unceasing determination, Mohammed Siraj was manoeuvred by the vision to don India colours.

In 2014, after having played tennis ball cricket throughout his life, he set to hone his skills and learn the nuances of the leather ball. The pacer's tactful bowling in the U-23 Col Ck Nayudu Trophy caught eyeballs. Mohammed Siraj made his first-class debut for Hyderabad in the 2015 Ranji Trophy season.

Hyderabad had a few bright sparks making strides in the 2015 Ranji Trophy campaign. A year on from his debut, Siraj starred in Hyderabad's qualification to the knock-outs of the Ranji Trophy- finishing as the third-highest wicket-taker of the tournament. The pacer accounted for 41 wickets in just 9 matches at an average of 18.92. The pacer's ability to bowl upfront with the new ball and extract bounce from the surface was the highlight for the Indian selectors. The Hyderabad-born pacer was included in the T20I squad ahead of the series against Blackcaps.

In the 2018 IPL auction, Mohammed Siraj garnered huge interest from multiple franchises until RCB placed the last bid at 2.60 crores.

Numbers that Matter 

• 147 - Mohammed Siraj has procured 147 wickets in 36 matches at a staggering average of 23 in first-class. 
• 310 - The 26-year-old pacer has taken a total of 310 wickets in competitive cricket. (First-class, List-A, T20s, T20Is and ODIs)  
• 7.25 - The RCB pacer has operated with an economy rate of 7.25 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur in the IPL.
• 13 - Mohammed Siraj has recorded 13 four-wicket hauls in first-class cricket. 

Mohammed Siraj - The Fulcrum of Hyderabad bowling line-up  

Since August 2019, the pacer has fetched 55 wickets from 25 games. Mohammed Siraj, the fulcrum of Hyderabad's bowling attack, played a key role throughout the domestic season, scalping 44 wickets in 19 matches. 

In the recently concluded India A tour, Mohammed Siraj was the standout performer with 11 wickets from 6 matches. On the back of good performances, Siraj has worked extensively on his death bowling skills, which was very evident in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Mohammed Siraj will look to repay the faith imposed on him and the IPL could possibly be the path for his return to international cricket.