Watch: Siraj has tears in his eyes when the national anthem was played
Hyderabad: As cricket lovers woke up to the start of the first day’s play of the third Test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, it was a pleasant sight to watch on TV both the teams lined up as their respective national anthems were being played.
But the one person who caught the attention of many was India’s Mohammed Siraj, who turned emotional as his eyes welled up when India’s national anthem Jana Gana Mana….was being played.
The 26-year-old Hyderabad pacer, who made an impressive debut in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne, was seen wiping his tears with his senior bowling partner Jasprit Bumrah giving him an appreciative smile.
Siraj remembered his late father Mohammed Ghouse, who passed away in November last year, while he was on national duty with the Indian team in Australia. “At the time of the national anthem I remembered my dad. He wanted to see me play Test cricket for India and today he would have been proud had he been alive,” Siraj told reporters at the end of the day’s play and he had claimed the first wicket to fall.
Siraj, in fact, had a wonderful start to the third Test when in his second over he forced the dangerous left-hander David Warner, coming back into the Australian team after injury, edge one to second slip only to be pouched by Cheteshwar Pujara. He could have got his second wicket too but for wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who messed up a catch when the ball flew high after Will Pucovski miscued a bouncer.
Meanwhile, Siraj’s ‘tearful moment’ caught the attention of former cricketers on social media users. Ex-India cricketer Mohammed Kaif tweeted: “I just want certain people to remember this picture. He is #SirajMohammed and this is what the national anthem means to him.”
Veteran opener Wasim Jaffer said: “Even if there’s little or no crowd to cheer you on, no better motivation than playing for India. As a legend once said “You don’t play for the crowd, you play for the country.”
Meanwhile, triple hockey Olympian N Mukesh Kumar said it was nice to see Siraj becoming emotional when the national anthem was being played. “I remember I used to get goose bumps during Olympics, World Cups or Asian Games whenever the national anthem was played before the start of the match. It used to give us ‘josh’,” he said.
He said during the Sydney Olympics in 2000, they had a few patriotic songs recorded and the team used to listen to them before matches. “It gives extra energy after hearing the national anthem or patriotic songs,” Mukesh recalled.
Playing a Test match is the pinnacle of this sport…
Mohammed Siraj had to wipe away tears during the national anthem 🇮🇳#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/J5z1FHDtmp
— Cricket on BT Sport (@btsportcricket) January 6, 2021
I just want certain people to remember this picture. He is #SirajMohammed and this is what the national anthem means to him pic.twitter.com/eJi9Xeww8E
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) January 7, 2021
Even if there’s little or no crowd to cheer you on, no better motivation than playing for India. As a legend once said “You don’t play for the crowd, you play for the country.” 🇮🇳 #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/qAwIyiUrSI
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) January 7, 2021
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