After a brilliant and eventful tour of Australia, India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj is back home with his family.
Siraj, who had lost his father on 20 November just as the Australia tour had begun, chose to stay on and miss the funeral and fulfil his father’s dreams of playing for India. Siraj, who finished as the highest wicket-taker for India with 13 from 3 Tests, returned to Hyderabad and went to pay tribute to his late father Mohammed Ghaus.
Siraj, who finished the tour with a maiden five-wicket haul in Brisbane, had said that he was very grateful to get a chance to fulfil his father's dream.
"First of all I need to thank God that I got this opportunity to play for India. It was my dad's desire to see his son play with the entire world watching him play. Wish he were here to see this. He would have been very happy. It were his prayers that enabled me to take five wickets today. I am speechless, have no words to describe this," Siraj had said during the fourth Test.
"I am very grateful that I got five wickets. It was a very tough situation with dad having passed away. I talked to folks at home, spoke to mom. They encouraged me, made me feel strong. I got mentally strong with their support. I felt that whatever was dad's desire, I have to fulfill that. It got fulfilled," he added.
While Siraj made the headlines for his bowling, there were unfortunate incidents of abuse that he had to face to in Sydney. The bowler took it up with the umpires and the 6 spectators were eventually ejected from the ground and an investigation with the police was launched as well.
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