The journey of Mohammed Siraj

Brut India

Son of an auto-rickshaw driver, Mohammed Siraj's rise was a tale of grit and glory. But where did it all start? #AsiaCup  📹: Oaktree Sports

Transcript

00:00I used to play on my shoes.

00:01On my shoes.

00:02What are you saying?

00:03I need money for my shoes too.

00:05Delhi's 70 rupees.

00:06Where will I get shoes in that?

00:08Many times I feel like I'm in the National Anthem.

00:10Where were we? Where did we come from?

00:31I faced a lot of difficulties when I was growing up.

00:34How many difficulties did you face from a humble background?

00:38My mom used to say,

00:39you're a big engineer,

00:40why are you roaming around like a vagabond?

00:43When I used to go to college,

00:44I used to go straight to play by bugging people.

00:46My mom used to call me from there.

00:48I used to go to my dad's house in the evening.

00:50Because only my dad could save me.

00:52Really?

00:53Yes.

00:54My mom used to give me a tight slap.

00:56When my dad used to come,

00:57I used to cry.

00:58When my dad used to come,

00:59I used to cry.

01:01I used to stay outside.

01:04My dad saved me a lot.

01:05My dad used to drive an auto.

01:07He used to give my brother 100 rupees pocket money

01:09because he was an engineer.

01:11The 70 rupees that he used to give me daily,

01:1340 rupees of petrol used to run out of it.

01:16And he had to start it by pushing it.

01:19So when I used to go to practice,

01:21I used to take Mercedes, BMW in the car.

01:25So when I used to go to practice,

01:27I used to push it and leave.

01:29Because it felt different to push it in front of everyone.

01:32Everyone used to look at me like that.

01:35Okay, everyone used to keep a little distance.

01:37I think till 14 or 15,

01:40you hadn't even bowled.

01:42When did you start fast bowling?

01:44I must have been 16 years old then.

01:46Wow.

01:47I used to bowl in the lane.

01:48Yes.

01:49I used to play tennis in the lane.

01:51I used to play here and there in the village.

01:53I used to play on slippers.

01:54What are you talking about?

01:56I used to play on slippers till 19.

01:58Wow.

01:59You didn't even have shoes.

02:00I didn't even have shoes.

02:01I needed money to buy shoes.

02:0370 rupees to buy shoes.

02:04Yes.

02:05Where would I get shoes in that?

02:06If I bowl now,

02:07I will have to bring it home.

02:08What else?

02:09I was wandering around,

02:10and on top of that,

02:11I had to buy shoes.

02:12Here are the shoes.

02:13I was playing in a tournament.

02:15I bowled very well in the tournament.

02:17How old were you at that time?

02:1914 or 15?

02:20No, not 15.

02:21I was 19 years old.

02:2219?

02:23Yes, I was 19 years old.

02:24That late?

02:25Yes, that late.

02:26So, you played tennis till 19?

02:28Yes, I played tennis till 19.

02:29Okay.

02:30So, I thought that

02:31if I play a match,

02:32I will get money.

02:33If I go here,

02:34I won't get money.

02:35Then,

02:36I have to stay at home for a few days.

02:38Otherwise, you will get taunts.

02:39Otherwise, I will get taunts.

02:40Look, he is wandering around.

02:42So, I said,

02:43look,

02:44I will get money here.

02:46They said,

02:47you will get money.

02:48They will give you petrol money.

02:49You play here.

02:50You will get dress and all.

02:51I said, okay.

02:52Let's play.

02:53They said,

02:54dress and all.

02:55I said, yes.

02:56So, I went for the first match.

02:58They gave me a new ball.

02:59I had to tell them,

03:00out swing, in swing.

03:01I had to bring the ball and hit it fast.

03:03So, you saw this for the first time?

03:05First time.

03:06I held it in my hand.

03:07Wow.

03:08I had to go and hit it fast.

03:10I said,

03:11what is this?

03:12Seriously,

03:13this is a different game.

03:14I took five wickets in the first match.

03:16They beat me at the pace.

03:17On top of that,

03:18I filled the spikes.

03:19First time spikes.

03:20Wow.

03:21I didn't know

03:22where these spikes came from.

03:25When I was selected

03:26in the IPL for the first time,

03:28I thought

03:29that I will buy a house first.

03:31I didn't have any interest

03:32in cars.

03:33Yeah.

03:34I didn't have any interest.

03:35I just wanted to buy a house.

03:36First, I will make my family

03:37sit peacefully

03:38and then we will see.

03:39Yeah.

03:40So, first I bought a house.

03:41After buying a house,

03:42I saw so much peace.

03:43I thought,

03:44I will do something in life.

03:45Then, in the lockdown,

03:46I realized that

03:47I give one year to cricket.

03:49If it goes well,

03:50I will play.

03:51Otherwise,

03:52I will quit cricket

03:53and do a job anywhere.

03:54You reached here.

03:55That's what I thought.

03:56Wow.

03:57Then, in the lockdown,

03:58I worked so hard.

03:59I used to wake up alone in the morning.

04:01I used to go and do my fitness.

04:03I used to bowl.

04:04Then, I used to come back.

04:05I used to go.

04:06This was my daily routine.

04:07After that,

04:08when I played,

04:09I started enjoying it.

04:11I went to that zone.

04:12Then, gradually,

04:13I got better.

04:14I got used to it.

04:15That thing.

04:16It was helpful too.

04:17When I did that thing,

04:18my performance,

04:19my performance,

04:20my graph used to go up.

04:21Many times,

04:22I used to get hit

04:23in the national anthem.

04:24Where were we?

04:25Where did we come from?

04:26I mean,

04:27from street cricket

04:28to direct Indian cricket.

04:30Yeah.

04:31I feel so proud of myself.

04:34There is no limit to it.

04:36Whatever struggle

04:37my parents had,

04:38with their blessings,

04:39I reached here.

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