'Abbu, mai select ho gaya Test team mai' - Mohammed Siraj's brother recalls pacer's words after his maiden Test call

The Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj is all set to make his debut for Men in Blue in the longest format of the game against Australia in the four-match Border Gavaskar Trophy, starting from December 17 in Adelaide. However, all is not good in Siraj’s personal life as he has recently lost his father Mohammed Ghouse.

Siraj’s father passed away after losing a battle to a lung ailment at his Hyderabad residence at the age of 53. Siraj, who is currently with the Indian team in Australia serving the mandatory 14-days quarantine period, made a harsh decision of staying with the time and making his father proud instead of returning back home.

The 26-year-old had always dreamt of representing India in the Test format. Siraj’s brother, Mohammed Ismail, in an interaction with Times of India, revealed how the pacer broke the news of getting selected in the Indian team to their father. The happiness of family knew no bounds back then as Siraj’s father always wanted to seem him in the team.

“Abbu, mai select ho gaya Test team mai, Test series khelne jaa raha hun Australia’ (Father, I have been selected in the Indian Test squad and am going to play the Test series in Australia).”

The Hyderabad-born was selected for the Australia tour after a brilliant performance in the just-concluded 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Siraj had picked 11 wickets in nine games at an economy rate of 8.68.

Mohammed Siraj promised that he will do well in the series: Mohammed Ismail

Speaking about the trauma Siraj is going through, his brother Ismail stated that the cricketer was very close to his father and is finding it hard to come to terms with his death. Meanwhile his family from India keeps calling Siraj to keep a check on him.

“He [Mohammed Siraj] is my younger brother. We all love him so much. He was very close to my father. Whenever he calls now, he just cries. We say again and again…’Siraj kuch to bol’ (Siraj, please say something). But he doesn’t say anything. He says one-word, ‘Abbu’ and then cries.”

“May God give him strength. This is all I want to say. I am also heartbroken, but I have my family and relatives with me. Siraj is totally shattered by this news. He is alone. I keep calling him to give him support. Siraj has promised that he will do well in the series and pay a fitting tribute to our father. He wants to win the series for him,” Ismail concluded.