India’s impressive young paceman Mohammed Siraj recalled the incident involving national skipper Virat Kohli that made him grow in respect for the man. In a conversation with Cricbuzz, Siraj reminisced of the time when he invited Kohli for dinner at his residence in Hyderabad.
Even though the Indian captain was complaining of a stiff back, he still made it an effort to visit Siraj’s home and hugged him the moment he reached, which the pacer says was quite a “surreal” experience.
“I asked Virat Kohli Bhai for dinner at my home, he was very gracious & accepted the invitation. The moment we landed, Virat Bhai said he had a stiff back, so (I thought) they won’t come. I did get a little upset, but he came and I hugged him when I saw him there, that was surreal too,”
Siraj said.
Siraj is one of the Indian quicks who have played their entire India career so far under Kohli’s leadership. Even in the IPL where he turns up for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Siraj is fortunate to have Kohli as his captain.
After initially struggling in the white-ball arena, Siraj finally found an opening to make the side for Tests – a format most suited to his style of bowling – and produced a few inspiring spells during his maiden series in Australia last winter.
The right-arm quick got the red Kookaburra ball to swing and seam against the Aussie batsmen and finished as India’s highest wicket-taker – 13 scalps at 29.54 the series, which the visitors remarkable won 2-1 despite multiple first-choice absentees.
Siraj, who took a five-fer in the last Test Down Under where India breached the fortress ‘Gabba’, continued his stellar form and rhythm in the home series versus England that followed and troubled the likes of Joe Root.
He is now in the UK, as part of the Indian Test squad for the elongated summer featuring the World Test Championship final and a five-Test series against England.
