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
📹: Oaktree Sports
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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.