For Dad’s sake: Siraj bowls India to series levelling win at The Oval

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It is almost five years since Mohammed Ghaus breathed his last due to a lung ailment in November 2020. His beloved son Mohammed Siraj missed the funeral as he was in Australia. A month later, Siraj went on to make his Test debut for India against Australia. It turned out to be a memorable one for him. After the series, when Siraj landed in Hyderabad, he drove straight to the graveyard to pay his respects to his father. It was a touching scene – a memorable one which no Bollywood movie could capture.

On Monday, five years later, the gentleman would have been thrilled to bits watching the exploits of his son at the Oval. The father was missing but Siraj took inspiration from him to fashion a nerve-racking victory for India. “Jaddu bhai told me to back my defence and remember my dad and do it for him,” he said.

Ghaus had been the driving force in Siraj’s cricketing ambitions. Though he made a modest living by plying an auto, Ghaus fuelled his son’s desire. While his mom Shabana Begum was more realistic and alive to their economic conditions and therefore believed that cricket was not going to do any good for her son, Ghaus let his son dream big. Though his means were meagre, Ghaus never said no to Siraj’s tryst with cricket. Whatever money he could spare, he gave to Siraj.

On Monday, the Miyan of Indian cricket once again proved that his father was a visionary and he repaid the never-ending debt with a superlative show.

The Hyderabadi fast bowler’s five-wicket haul in the second innings helped India clinch a series-levelling six-run victory. England needed 35 runs with four wickets in hand on the last day but Siraj had other ideas. The 31-year-old claimed three of the four wickets to fall to warm the hearts of a billion countrymen.

When play closed on the penultimate day, England had the upper hand but one man believed in himself. Brought up in tough conditions and learning the basic skills on hard surfaces, Siraj was the only one who could turn the tables on the Englishmen. And he did it in his own Nawabi style.

“I feel amazing because we fought hard from day one,” a delighted Siraj said after the game. “My plan was to hit my areas consistently and build pressure. Everything from there was a bonus,” Siraj, who finished with 23 wickets in the five-match series – the highest number of wickets scalped by a bowler on either side.

“When I woke up today, I thought I could do it. I downloaded a picture from Google saying ‘believe’,” the First Lancer breed lad said. Belief in himself has been a driving force in Siraj’s life.

Siraj bowled a whopping 185.3 overs in the series and every ball was bowled with the same intensity. There was no let up in the pressure he applied on the rival batters. “Siraj is a captain’s dream. Gave it all his all every ball and every spell he bowled,” lauded skipper Shubman Gill after the win.

Siraj, who is a DSP with the Telangana Police, had a tough time on the penultimate day when he dropped Harry Brook. The tongues were lashing and Siraj was made out to be the culprit – a villian. The fast bowler was candid about it and didn’t try to cover it up. He said, “I thought the Brook drop was a game-changing moment. If it had been taken, we might not have come out today.”

No worries Miyan, the heavens were with you and gave you the chance to make amends as you bowled your heart out.