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Cricket Players'I was depressed, shattered. Then Ravi Shastri said 'your dad would've wanted you to take five-for on this tour'': Siraj
When all seemed lost for Mohammed Siraj, the youngster found warmth and comfort in none other than his India coach, Ravi Shastri.
India's tour of Australia in 2020/21 was a bittersweet affair for Mohammed Siraj. Making his Test debut at the MCG on Boxing Day Test and grabbing a five-wicket-haul at the Gabba made it a memorable tour for Siraj from a cricketing point of view. But personally, it wasn't all hunky dory. Ahead of the start of the tour, Siraj lost his father Mohammed Ghaus to a prolonged lung ailment and because of the hard quarantine measured that were put in place, the India pacer couldn't even return home to attend his funeral. (Also Read: 'Brian Lara looked at me and said 'Do you want to kill me?'': Shoaib Akhtar recalls face-off against West Indies great)
When all seemed lost for Siraj, the youngster found warmth and comfort in none other than his India coach. It was Ravi Shastri - who has always claimed to have been the big brother of the players - that helped Siraj get back in his feet. Siraj, in a recent chat, revealed how Shastri's words gave instilled in him the motivation and confidence to go ahead and overcome tragedy. While Siraj eventually opted to stay back, he admits the decision wasn't an easy one to make. Given the Covid protocols in Australia and the mental toll that one endures being in hard quarantine, Siraj often found himself battling conflicting thoughts.
"When my dad passed away, then Ravi sir supported me. He came up to me and said 'see Miyan, your dad would have wanted you to take five wickets on this tour. I was very emotional, depressed and shattered. I couldn't understand what was going on. We were under hard quarantine," Siraj told Boria Majumdar on his show 'Backstage with Boria'.
"I couldn't figure what to do – should I have flown back home or stay here and fulfill dad's dream. Then I thought that had I gone back, I would have had to undergo quarantine there as well. So I thought it would be better to continue being in Australia and fulfil my father's dream. My dad's dream made me strong during that time. I totally was lost. Due to quarantine rules, being in one room was all we could do. But I still remember, that it was what also made me tough and gave me the strength to deal with everything."
Siraj's big moment arrived in the second Test as he made his debut in whites for India at the G. He picked up five wickets and wen to better it in the final Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, where Siraj recorded his maiden five-wicket-haul.
"In Melbourne, when I stepped onto the ground, it felt like a dream. People have always said the Boxing Day Test in MCG is huge, and I was part of it. Being part of it and receiving your Test cap was a dream. I couldn’t measure my emotions and then I kept thinking that had my father been there, how happy he would have been," added Siraj.
