Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun revealed that Mohammed Siraj used to be continuously in touch with him before making his India debut to ask when he will get his chance to don the India shirt which even led then coach Ravi Shastri to ask who this bowler was.
The Ravi Shastri- Virat Kohli era from 2017-2021 is seen as one of the best for the Indian team as they not only dominated at home but started winning overseas consistently including the first-ever Test series win in Australia in 2018-19 and then repeating the feat in 2020-21. They won in England and fought valiantly in South Africa and New Zealand.
They had excellent support from bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar. Arun played a huge role in Siraj’s rise, guiding him through his time with Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy all the way to the Indian team in a short span of time.
Arun revealed how Siraj would constantly be in touch with him, hoping to get a call-up to the Indian team.
Ravi Shastri Asked Me And Was Like ‘Kaun Hai Yeh? (Who Is He?)’ I Said ‘Siraj- Bharat Arun
Mohammed Siraj had picked up 41 wickets for Hyderabad in the 2016-2017 Ranji season and was knocking on the door of selectors. However, Arun felt that Siraj was not ready for the rigors for the Indian team then.
“Subsequently after doing well for Hyderabad, I went and joined the Indian team while Siraj played India A. And everytime he did well in a match, he would call me and say ‘Sir, when are you calling me?’ I asked ‘Where?’. And he would go ‘… in the Indian team sir. When will I get a chance?’ I said ‘Pick more wickets and once you impress in India A tour, you will be there,'” Arun said on the Cricbuzz Specials show, ‘Rise of New India’.
Siraj finally made his India debut in 2017 in T20Is and in ODIs in 2019. However, his economy rate was a concern and he was n and out of the Indian team. Arun then recalled how Siraj’s eagerness was noticed by coach Ravi Shastri, who was impressed by his self-belief.
“Every time he bowled a good spell, I thought he did an exceptional job while playing for India A. One such call I remember; Ravi Shastri asked me and was like ‘Kaun hai yeh? (Who is he?)’ I said ‘Siraj… this is the background and he is calling me to ask when he would be part of this Indian team. One thing Ravi told me was ‘you have to give him credit for his confidence’. Someone who has the belief to call me and ask me ‘When are you calling me? That’s confidence,’” added Arun.
Siraj made his India Test debut in 2020 in MCG and has been a vital cog of the team’s pace attack since then in both Tests and ODIs.