'Ammi, mere liye dua karna': Mohammed Siraj's mother shares conversation with son before England tour

Mohammed Siraj's mother shares conversation with son before England tour (Instagram/BCCI Photo)

Mohammed Siraj's explosive spells and unwavering work ethic enthralled the Test series in England, but beneath his outstanding performance were poignant home memories that surfaced after the series was over. According to his mother Shabana Begum, the 31-year-old had shared a touching moment that exposed a heavy emotional burden as he got ready for the five-Test series before leaving for England.

"Ammi, mere liye dua karna. Main achha karun aur India ko jitau (Mom, pray for me, I want to do well and win for the country)," Shabana told Times of India in an interaction. According to Siraj's mother, her son is still grieving the loss of his father, who was instrumental in forming his cricketing journey. "Siraj loves his father dearly, his father loved him just as much; he would have done anything for him. My prayers are always with Siraj," she added.

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A part of Siraj's routine is to visit his father's grave and pray before he leaves or arrives from a tour. And before leaving for England, the pacer did the same.

Siraj lost his father during the tour of Australia back in 2020-21. The pacer couldn't attend his father's funeral and remained with the team delivering his services for the nation.

His father Mohammed Ghaus holds great significance and in the Test at Lord's, Ravindra Jadeja tried to motivate the tail-ender by making a reference to his late father. Recalling the moment after the Oval Test, Siraj revealed: "Lord's was heartbreaking, Jaddu bhai told me to back my defence and remember my dad and do it for him."

Meanwhile, there are also other factors contributing to Siraj's success besides his strong emotional ties to his family. "Siraj takes a lot of Inspiration from Virat, he is more than his elder brother - the aggression and hunger, he has taken from Virat," the pacer's brother Mohammed Ismail was quoted as saying by the national daily in the same report.