A Rickshaw Driver’s Son Became RCB’s ‘Hero’; Learnt Cricket In Streets, Left Batting & Turned To Bowling

Abu Dhabi : RCB pacer Mohammad Siraj made history against KKR in the IPL on Wednesday. Siraj has done what no one else has been able to do in the IPL so far. The rickshaw driver’s son has become a hero in IPL today.

Siraj’s story is full of struggles. Siraj’s father used to drive a rickshaw. There was no money for cricket training. But Siraj did not give up. He could not get cricket training when he was a child. Siraj used to play street cricket. Used to bat in the past. He then turned to bowling. His brother has a big contribution in that. Siraj’s bowling from the start was so good. But he didn’t get a big ground to play. Siraj’s friend invited him to play at Charminar Cricket Club. That year was 2015-16. Siraj smashed half the team in the match on the strength of his bowling. Seeing this performance, he was given a place in the Hyderabad Under-23 team.

Siraj worked tirelessly. In the same year, he was selected for the Ranji Trophy. But he could only play one match that year. But then in 2016, Siraj was the highest wicket-taker in Hyderabad. He had taken 41 wickets in the Ranji Trophy this year. After that, Siraj’s bowling started coming to light and Siraj also got a place in the Indian team. In his first T20I match, Siraj had taken the wicket of New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.

Siraj came to the IPL in 2017. The Hyderabad team paid Siraj 13 times more than the first original price. At that time, Hyderabad had given Siraj a place in their team for Rs 2.60 crore. In 2018, RCB got his eye on him and gave Siraj a place in the team. Siraj has been playing for RCB for two years.