'Father used to give 70 rupees daily' - Mohammed Siraj opens up on his financial struggles as budding cricketer

India pacer Mohammed Siraj has faced a lot of difficulties during his cricketing journey and the player from Hyderabad recently opened up about his struggles. Coming from a humble background, his late father used to give him only INR 70 a day in order to play cricket, which was eventually difficult as a cricketer often needs a handsome amount of money to pursue his dream.

Siraj stated out of the abovementioned amount, he used to buy petrol for forty rupees and the rest he used to spend on other things or save it. The 29-year-old also cited examples that other players used to come in Mercedes and BMWs while he used to come via Platina (his motor bike). 

“Father used to give 70 rupees daily out of which 40 rupees were needed for petrol in Platina, that too which had to be pushed to start. Others used to come in Mercedes, BMW, etc. for practice, while I used to wait for them to go so that I could push my Platina and get it started. They as it is didn't used to look at me and used to keep distance,” Siraj said in the latest episode of Breakfast with Champions YouTube show.

I used to bunk college and go to play cricket, only my father used to save me at home: Siraj

Speaking about his relationship with his father, Siraj mentioned that the pacer’s mother used to scold him for playing cricket but his father always used to back and save him at home. The Hyderabad-born pacer also added that he used to bunk college and play cricket and also mentioned the time when he first won any form of money from playing cricket.

“My mother used to scold me by saying, 'Your elder brother is an engineer. Till when will you continue your time pass?' I used to bunk college and go to play cricket. Only my father used to save me at home. He has done a lot for me.

“After 2013 (when his father said it's okay not to study). I played Ranji Trophy for Hyderabad in 2016. But before that, I used to be playing in league in Hyderabad. I played for my uncle's club and picked 9 wickets in the first game. I got INR 500 as prize money and out of that I gave 300 rupees at home,” Siraj added.