‘Couldn’t sleep the whole night’ - Mohammed Siraj recalls the day his dream turned reality

Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj’s rise to the top has been rather swift. The 29-year-old possesses all the attributes of a fast bowler that can bamboozle even the best of batters. Over the past few years, Siraj has truly become the spearhead of the Indian bowling attack and one of the best pacers in world cricket. 

However, a few years ago, the young boy from Hyderabad wouldn’t have thought that he would be one of the most feared pacers in the world. Apart from being a lethal force for team India, Siraj has worked wonders in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as well. However, his performances in ODI and Test cricket have been especially remarkable.

Recently, the 29-year-old came forward and talked about his Test debut for India. Siraj played his first-ever Test game against Australia in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in 2020. 

"Shubman Gill and I made our debut on Boxing Day Test. I was told one day before that I was playing, I couldn’t sleep the whole night. Test match has a different value. According to me, in cricket, Test match is the best format because it helps in bringing in discipline and professionalism," Siraj told Gaurav Kapur in the Breakfast with Champions show on YouTube.

He would have been very proud of me: Siraj on his late father

Furthermore, Siraj also opened up about his late father and how he always wanted him to play Test cricket. Being proud of how far he had come, Siraj was visibly emotional in Melbourne on his Test debut for India.

"My debut was great, so dad always used to say that I should play Test cricket. ‘It’s a great honour to play Test cricket; you should achieve that.’ At that time, I was feeling that if my dad were here, he would have been proud of me. ‘ My son fulfilled my dream by playing Test cricket. ’ I have his blessings," Siraj concluded.