How Mohammad Siraj rose from tennis-ball cricket to No 1 ODI bowler

Mohammad Siraj has achieved the top spot in the One Day International (ODI) rankings after his extraordinary six-wicket performance against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023 finals. With a rating of 694, Siraj has surpassed Australia's Josh Hazlewood, who had held the number one ranking until now.

From his initial wicketless debut against Australia in 2019 to enduring a series of low performances and then making a remarkable comeback in 2022, Siraj has experienced the full spectrum of challenges during his seven-year career as an international bowler.

Born to a rickshaw puller, Siraj's life was far from easy as he resided in rented accommodation in Hyderabad. However, within just two years of starting to bowl with a leather ball, Siraj earned a place in the Indian team's T20 squad in 2017. Since then, he has consistently climbed the ladder of success without looking back.

Here is a concise overview of Siraj's journey:

Humble beginnings

Like many other boys from low-middle-class backgrounds, Mohammad Siraj began his cricket journey by playing tennis ball cricket in the fields of the First Lancer area in Hyderabad. His father, Mohammad Ghaus, worked as an autorickshaw driver, while his mother, Shabana Begum, worked as a domestic help.

At the age of 16, Siraj had his first breakthrough when he took nine wickets in a One-Day game for his uncle's team, earning him Rs 500 and marking the beginning of his success as a bowler. Cricket initially served as an escape from the harsh realities of life that he faced.

Cricket becomes a passion

As the years passed, Siraj continued to play cricket with a tennis ball and excelled in the sport. He gained recognition for his bowling skills and quickly progressed to representing Hyderabad in zonal games. His ability to bowl at a great pace earned him a spot in the Ranji Trophy team in 2015.

The path to Hyderabad U-23 cricket team

Siraj's journey to Hyderabad's U-23 cricket team was paved in part by his mother, who worked as a domestic help for Hyderabad's former opening batter and coach, Abdul Azim. Although Azim initially found Siraj's bowling unimpressive, Hyderabad's captain, P Akshath Reddy, recognised his potential.

Akshath's recommendation led to Siraj's inclusion in the Hyderabad squad for a crucial knock-out game against Services in 2015, ultimately marking his debut.

Call from Sunrisers Hyderabad

In 2015, when Siraj made his Ranji Trophy debut, he had no idea that he would become a star within just two years. The presence of Bharat Arun as Hyderabad's coach in that season played a pivotal role in his development.

Under Arun's guidance, Hyderabad's medium pacers, including Mohammad Siraj, thrived. Siraj's exceptional performance, recording 41 wickets in nine matches, earned him an IPL contract with Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 2.6 crore. This was his platform to showcase his talent to the world.

In the six matches he played for SRH, Siraj claimed 10 wickets at an economy rate of 9.21.

The final destination

The Indian cricket team had long yearned for skillful pacers, and Siraj filled that gap. At a time when Mohammad Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar faced challenges, Siraj seized the opportunity. He made his T20I debut against New Zealand in 2017 during a home series.

Siraj made his ODI debut in 2019 against Australia, though he went wicketless in the first match. He still had to prove himself in the longer format of the game. A year later, he earned the coveted Test debut for the Indian cricket team.

Despite average performance in ODIs for three years, Siraj made a remarkable comeback to the ODI setup in 2022 and has been exceptional since then.

Recent success

Siraj's six-wicket haul against Sri Lanka marked his best performance in ODI cricket. In 2022, he played 15 ODI games, claiming 24 wickets. In 2023, with three months remaining, he has already taken 29 wickets in 13 matches.

His most outstanding figures have been against Sri Lanka, where he has taken 16 wickets in 5 ODI games. His next best figures come against West Indies, with 9 wickets in 6 matches.

Overall, Siraj boasts impressive statistics. He has taken 59 Test wickets in 21 matches with an economy rate of 3.26. In ODIs, he has 53 wickets in 29 matches, while in T20s, Siraj has claimed 11 wickets in 8 matches.

With the 2023 World Cup just two weeks away, Siraj is poised to be a key bowler for India in all the matches.