Pacer Mohammed Siraj is currently one of the most lethal bowlers in the world. Making his debut in 2017, he went on to play eight T20Is, 24 ODIs, and 18 Tests and scalped a total of 101 international wickets. Apart from this, he has been a top performer in the Indian Premier League and the highest wicket-taker for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the ongoing edition, so far. However, his journey has been full of struggles as he came from a humble background in Hyderabad. Throwing light on his initial days, Siraj narrated an unheard tale where he left KL Rahul fuming in the nets.
Speaking on Gaurav Kapoor’s chat show “Breakfast With Champions”, the pacer revealed that before making his debut for RCB, he was a net bowler and was bowling to Rahul during a practice session.
“I had performed with the Under-23 team. I had played one match in the Ranji Trophy. I had taken a wicket but then I was dropped for the next two matches and I was out of the team. Next year it was RCB vs Sunrisers (Hyderabad) and I was a net bowler then. I bowled bouncer after bouncer to KL Rahul, and he got angry. He told me ‘khali bouncer hi aata hain tujhe’ (do you only know how to bowl bouncers). I said ‘Bhaiya I know other stuff too,” said Siraj.
Siraj further spoke that how he got into Hyderabad’s Ranji Trophy squad
“Bharat Sir become quite impressed. So he went and asked (VVS) Laxman sir, ‘who is this boy?’. Next year Arun sir became the coach of Hyderabad for the Ranji Trophy. The selectors were not selecting me for the Ranji Trophy. So Arun sir said, ‘I want this boy in the team. If you listen then only I will join the association, otherwise not.'” said Siraj.
“So Arun sir came and picked me and I was the highest wicket-taker that year,” he added.
Siraj has scalped a total of 16 wickets in 12 matches in the current edition of IPL, including one four-wicket haul.
Talking about RCB, the Faf du Plessis-led team are currently standing at the fifth place on the points table with a total of six wins out of 12 matches. They will now be going up against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their next match on Thursday.
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