Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj picked up his maiden five-wicket haul on Day 4 of the ongoing fourth and final Test against Australia at The Gabba.
Siraj (5/73) and Shardul Thakur (4/61) helped India bundle out the hosts for 294 in their second innings.
The 26-year Siraj received appreciation from his teammates as they asked him to lead them off the ground. While Siraj held the red cherry up and waved it to the Brisbane crowd, Ajinkya Rahane and Co. clapped while Jasprit Bumrah hugged him near the boundary.
Here’s the video:
A standing ovation as Mohammed Siraj picks up his maiden 5-wicket haul.#AUSvIND #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/e0IaVJ3uA8
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 18, 2021
After the end of the day’s play, Siraj said that he got the 5-wicket haul because of his father’s blessing. He revealed that all his late father wanted to see him play in front of the world.
The Hyderabad pacer wished his father could live to see this day.
“My dad had wished that his son would play and the entire world would watch him. I hope he could have been there to watch this day. This is because of his blessings that I have got a five-wicket haul in Tests. I am speechless and can’t express my feelings in words.
“It was a tough situation, dad’s demise. I got strength after talking to mom and my focus was to realise dad’s dream,” he said in the virtual press conference.
“I would give credit to one of our trainers, Sohum bhai (Desai) created a programme for me and was after me, checked my protein intake (he has cut down on biryani), training and fitness lockdown.
“He has been helping me since lockdown and I followed his programme. Test cricket demands different kinds of fitness,” Siraj added.
