Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj is an Indian international cricketer who plays as a right – arm fast bowler for the Indian national team. He also plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League and Hyderabad in domestic cricket. He was a part of the Indian squad which won the 2023 Asia Cup, where he was the Player of the Match in the final against Sri Lanka.

Early life

Siraj was born on 13 March 1994 in Hyderabad, Telangana to a Hyderabadi Muslim family. His father, Mohammed Ghaus, was an auto rickshaw driver, and his mother, Shabana Begum, is a housewife. His elder brother, Mohammed Ismail, is an engineer.

Siraj started playing club cricket at the age of 19 after playing with the tennis ball before the age of 19, after only starting to actually bowl at 16, and in his first match took 9 wickets for his uncle’s team in the Hyderabad Cricket association.

Domestic Career:

• First – class debut: on 15 November 2015 under the coaching of Karthik Udupa playing for Hyderabad in the 2015–16 Ranji Trophy tournament
• Twenty20 debut: on 2 January 2016 in the 2015 – 16 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy tournament
• During the 2016 – 17 Ranji Trophy tournament, he was the highest wicket – taker for Hyderabad with 41 wickets at an average of 18.92.
• In February 2018, he was the leading wicket – taker in the 2017 – 18 Vijay Hazare Trophy, with 23 dismissals in seven matches.

IPL Career:

• In February 2017, he was bought by the Sunrisers Hyderabad team for the 2017 Indian Premier League (IPL) for 2.6 crores.
• In January 2018, he was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2018 IPL auction.
• On 21 October 2020, he became the first bowler in IPL history to bowl back to back maiden overs in a single match.

International Career:

• T20I debut: for India against New Zealand on 4 November 2017, taking the wicket of Kane Williamson, finishing with figures of 1 wicket for 53 runs from four overs
• One Day International (ODI) debut: against Australia at the Adelaide Oval on 15 January 2019
• Test debut: for India on 26 December 2020, against Australia
• His first Test wicket was of Marnus Labuschagne.
• In January 2021, during the fourth Test of the series against Australia, Siraj took his first five – wicket haul in Test cricket.
• In January 2023, Siraj played an important role in the Ind vs NZ ODI series. He took 4 wickets in the first ODI which helped the team to win the match by 12 runs.
• On January 21, 2023, Siraj became the No. 1 ODI Bowler in ICC ODI Rankings for Bowlers.
• On September 17, 2023, in the Asia Cup final, Siraj became the joint fastest bowler to take a 6 wicket haul in ODIs equaling Chaminda Vaas’s record of taking 5 wickets in 16 balls against Bangladesh in 2003 World Cup. He ended with a career best figure of 6/21 and also became the 1st Indian to take 4 wickets in an over.

Major Achievements:

• During the 2016 – 17 Ranji Trophy tournament, he was the highest wicket – taker for Hyderabad with 41 wickets at an average of 18.92.
• In February 2018, he was the leading wicket – taker in the 2017 – 18 Vijay Hazare Trophy, with 23 dismissals in seven matches.
• In January 2021, during the fourth Test of the series against Australia, Siraj took his first five – wicket haul in Test cricket.
• In January 2023, Siraj played an important role in the Ind vs NZ ODI series. He took 4 wickets in the first ODI which helped the team to win the match by 12 runs.
• On January 21, 2023, Siraj became the No. 1 ODI Bowler in ICC ODI Rankings for Bowlers.
• On September 17, 2023, in the Asia Cup final, Siraj became the joint fastest bowler to take a 6 wicket haul in ODIs equaling Chaminda Vaas’s record of taking 5 wickets in 16 balls against Bangladesh in 2003 World Cup. He ended with a career best figure of 6/21 and also became the 1st Indian to take 4 wickets in an over.
• On 21 October 2020, he became the first bowler in IPL history to bowl back to back maiden overs in a single match.