Hyderabad

On his 30th birthday, right-arm seamer Mohammad Siraj revealed that before making his international debut he was planning to quit cricket back in 2019-20 to do something good for himself.

In a video posted by the BCCI, the speedster took fans on a tour of his hometown Hyderabad, showing the pitch where it all began for him and his favourite hangout areas. Siraj stated that the ground Eidgah is where he feels tranquility despite going all over the world these days.

🏠 𝙃𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙛𝙩. 𝙈𝙤𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙙 𝙎𝙞𝙧𝙖𝙟

As he celebrates his birthday, we head back to Hyderabad where it all began 👏

The pacer's heartwarming success story is filled with struggles, nostalgia and good people 🤗

You've watched him bowl, now… pic.twitter.com/RfElTPrwmJ

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 13, 2024

"In 2019-20 I had thought I was giving myself this last year and after that, I will leave the game for good. As soon as I land in Hyderabad, my first thought is that I will go home. After home, I will go to Eidgah. Wherever in the world I go. I don't get so much peace anywhere, to be honest. Whenever I go there, I get so much peace," said Siraj.

The 30-year-old further said that he used to work as a caterer to support his father, who drove an autorickshaw and was the family's primary source of income at the time. The pacer admitted that he used to burn his hands trying to flip Roomali roti.

"I used to go to do a catering job. My family members used to say that son, please study. I liked playing cricket very much because we used to live on rent also. My dad was the only earning member in the house. If I got a hundred or two hundred rupees, I was happy with it. I used to give 100 or 150 rupees at home and keep 50 for myself. My hands would burn as I had to flip Roomali roti. But that's ok. I have reached here after having my fair share of struggles," the pacer added.

Siraj has so far played 27 Tests, 41 ODIs, and 10 T20Is for Team India. He has 74 wickets in Tests, including three five-wicket hauls, and 68 wickets in One-Day Internationals, including one five-wicket haul. In Twenty20 Internationals, he has 12 wickets.

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The Hyderabad-born cricketer will be seen in action again in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, this time representing Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).