Mohammed

Siraj

Mohammed Siraj Biography and Career

Mohammed Siraj is an Indian cricketer who plays for Hyderabad in the domestic circuit and will turn out for Gujarat Titans after being with Royal Challengers Bengaluru for a number of years in the Indian Premier League.

Siraj comes from a very humble background. His father used to drive an auto rickshaw, and growing up, Siraj did not have a lot of means. His story is also very different from that of many other cricketers going around. Siraj did not start playing cricket at a young age. He did not have any formal coaching at an academy or a line of coaches teaching him the nuances of swing and seam movement.

Siraj only started bowling at the age of 16 and that too with a tennis ball. One day he casually turned up for his uncle’s club and picked nine wickets. But even then his parents were not convinced that cricket should be the direction Siraj should go. They wanted him to study and make a career for himself like his elder brother who is an engineer.

But, cricket was Siraj’s calling. He joined the Charminar Cricket Club, affiliated with the Hyderabad Cricket Association in 2014. That was the first time he was bowled with a hard ball. But his earlier stint was marred by disciplinary issues. He often skipped practice camps and his behaviour was less than desirable which led to his ouster from the camp. Siraj was eventually given a final chance, and he started taking his game more seriously.

Siraj has openly acknowledged the support of his family, especially his father, for his rise in the sport. He made his Ranji Trophy debut for Hyderabad in the 2015-16 season. He didn’t have the best of starts but in 2016-17, he picked 41 wickets in just nine matches to finish as Hyderabad’s highest wicket-taker and the overall third highest wicket-taker that season. With a bustling run-up and a whippy action, Siraj has the ability to move the ball both ways. He can hit speeds in the north of 140 kmph and often finds the right lengths.

His Ranji Trophy stint suddenly brought Siraj into the limelight. He was quickly fast tracked into the national team. In 2017, Siraj was named in India’s T20I squad for the first time. Kane Williamson was his first T20I wicket and he soon made his ODI debut as well.

Earlier in 2017, Siraj was picked by Sunrisers Hyderabad, the franchise from his home state, for a whopping Rs 2.6 crores. But it was his stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) which changed his life for the better.

<i>Miyaan</i> as he is popularly known as, Siraj became one of the RCB pillars and soon their leader as well. He picked 11 wickets in his debut season, nine in his second and 11 each in IPL 2020 and 2021. His best season came in 2023 when he picked 19 wickets in 14 matches.

In 2020, Siraj made his Test debut in unusual circumstances. With most of the Indian pace battery injured, he received his debut cap in the Border-Gavaskar series of 2020-21. In just his third Test, he picked his maiden five-wicket haul in Brisbane. It became a pivotal moment because that helped India win the Test and series despite most of the first-choice players not around.

In September 2023, Siraj bowled a barely believable spell of 6 for 21 in the final of the Asia Cup against Sri Lanka. He swung the ball both ways and dismantled the Sri Lankan unit as they were bowled out for 50. India won their seventh ODI Asia Cup title by 10 wickets and Siraj was rightly named player of the match.

Siraj was part of the Indian team that qualified for the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. He also visibly got emotional when India could not win the trophy. But in 2024, Siraj played a key role as India went on to win the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies for the first time in 17 years. His statement after the final: “I'm only believe on Jassi bhai because game changer player he is, only one guy Jasprit Bumrah” became quite viral and is still played a number of times whenever India play.

Siraj has over the years become India’s all-format bowler. He has an aggressive personality and does not mind a word or two with the batsmen but his approach and fiery on-field attitude have made him a fan favorite. Siraj’s rise from the streets of Hyderabad to a superstar is inspiring. He is an excellent bowler who knows how to outsmart the batsman and he has done that with aplomb over the last few years and is expected to do the same going forward.

Beyond Cricket

Mohammed Siraj has a strong social media presence and is quite adored by the cricketing community. On Instagram, Siraj has 9.9 million followers while on X (formerly Twitter), he has close to 700,000 followers.

He also endorses a number of top brands such as My11circle, Coinswitch Kuber, Thumbs up, SG cricket and MyFitness.

Away from cricket, Siraj was also appointed as a DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police) in Hyderabad in 2024. The announcement was made by Telangana CM Revanth Reddy. Siraj was also awarded a plot of land by the Hyderabad government after he played a starring role in India winning the 2024 T20 World Cup.

In January 2021, during the third Test of the BGT 2020-21 between India and Australia at the SCG, a group of spectators called Siraj a “Brown Dog” and “Big Monkey.” He approached the on-field umpires pointing toward the stands, and six spectators were evicted.

During the 2024-25 BGT, Siraj got into an on-field altercation with Australian batsman Travis Head. After cleaning him up, the Indian pacer gave Head a send-off which irked the batsman and a few verbal volleys were exchanged. Siraj was fined 20% of his match fees and handed a demerit point.

Mohammed Siraj Records 

Mohammed Siraj Domestic Records

• Highest wicket-taker for Hyderabad in the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy season: 41 wickets nine matches

Mohammed Siraj Test Records

• He picked a five-wicket haul in just his third Test, giving India a famous win at the Gabba, in Brisbane

Mohammed Siraj ODI Records

• Siraj is the fifth fastest Indian bowler to take 50 wickets in ODIs. He reached the mark in his 29th match
• He holds the record for the joint-fastest five-wicket haul in ODI cricket alongside Sri Lanka's Chaminda Vaas and USA's Ali Khan. He picked five wickets in 16 balls during the 2023 Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka
• Siraj is the first Indian bowler to take four wickets in a single over of an ODI game. He achieved the feat in the 2023 Asia Cup final

Mohammed Siraj IPL Records

• Siraj is the fifth on the list for the most matches played for RCB
• He is third on the list for the most wickets for an RCB bowler
• In October 2021, Siraj became the first bowler in IPL history to bowl back to back maiden overs in a single match