Mohammed Siraj of Royal Challengers Bangalore has been a revelation for the Indian squad since his participation in India’s spectacular tour of Australia in 2020-21. The 29-year-old Hyderabad pacer told an untold story about top Indian opener KL Rahul in his early days.
Mohammed Siraj, the Indian team’s current line-leader in all formats, had a humble beginning. After doing well with the U-23 team, the RCB pacer recounted a story about his early days as a net bowler.
He remembered a story about Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul, who was representing the Bangalore-based team at the time.
According to reports, the elegant Indian batsman slammed Siraj for bowling a succession of bouncers, asking the pacer whether he knew anything other than bowling short deliveries in the nets.
“I had performed with the Under-23 team. I had played one match in the Ranji Trophy. I had taken a wicket but then I was dropped for the next two matches and I was out of the team. Next year it was RCB vs Sunrisers (Hyderabad), and I was a net bowler then. I bowled bouncer after bouncer to KL Rahul, and he got angry. He told me ‘khali bouncer hi aata hain tujhe’ (do you only know how to bowl bouncers). I said Bhaiya I know other stuff too,”
Siraj revealed in a chat with Gaurav Kapoor in his show Breakfast With Champions.
The extremely agitated Indian bowler also discussed how former Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun influenced his career.
Bharat was the one who pushed for Siraj’s place in the Hyderabad Ranji Trophy squad. His faith in the young pacer paid off, as the right-arm pacer finished the year with the most wickets.
“Next year Arun sir became the coach of Hyderabad for the Ranji Trophy. The selectors were not selecting me for the Ranji Trophy. So Arun sir said, ‘I want this boy in the team. If you listen then only I will join the association, otherwise not. So Arun sir came and picked me and I was the highest wicket-taker that year,”
Siraj further revealed.
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