Why Is Mohammed Siraj, 'Workhorse Of India', Getting So Much Love On Internet?
The next victim of Siraj, Jacob Bethell, was also trapped in front of the wickets. Bethell, taking the spot of an injured Stokes, added six to the England total. The fourth and final wicket of Siraj in England's first innings was the last man standing, Harry Brook. Brook, batting at 53, was castled in the 52nd over.
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India.com
11 minutes ago
- India.com
Gautam Gambhir's Rare Tears of Joy After India's Epic Win At The Oval - Watch the Emotional Dressing Room Video
IND vs ENG: In a breathtaking finish at The Oval, India pulled off a remarkable 6-run victory against England to level the five-match Test series 2-2. With England needing just 35 runs and India hunting for four wickets at the start of Day 5, the contest seemed to be in the hosts' favour. But Mohammed Siraj's fiery spell, including the match-winning wicket of Gus Atkinson, turned the tide and delivered one of India's most memorable overseas wins. Siraj Breathes Fire, Seals the Game with a Yorker The drama reached its peak in the final moments when England were down to their last pair. Chris Woakes, battling a broken shoulder, stood helplessly at the non-striker's end as Gus Atkinson attempted to finish the chase. Mohammed Siraj, full of intensity and energy, sent down a scorching yorker that crashed into Atkinson's off stump, sealing victory for India and sending the team into euphoric celebration. Siraj, having taken a five-wicket haul, ran in animated fashion before unleashing his trademark 'Siu' celebration. He was quickly surrounded by his ecstatic teammates, the Oval echoing with Indian jubilation. Gambhir's Rare Display of Emotions Steals the Show Among the wild celebrations, one moment stood out India head coach Gautam Gambhir's rare outburst of emotion. Known for his serious, no-nonsense demeanour, Gambhir let his guard down in the dressing room. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a behind-the-scenes video capturing the emotional aftermath. Gambhir jumped into bowling coach Morne Morkel's arms like a child, shouting with unrestrained joy. The footage even showed him teary-eyed, overwhelmed by the moment's intensity — a rare sight from a man who is typically all business. Raw Emotions straight after #TeamIndia's special win at the Kennington Oval #ENGvIND — BCCI (@BCCI) August 4, 2025 The closing stages of the match were laden with tension. Chris Woakes, injured but determined, stood at the non-striker's end while Gus Atkinson took charge of the chase. With only seven runs needed and one wicket in hand, England were nearly there. Gambhir could be seen peeking out of the dressing room window, sending last-minute instructions. Then came Siraj's thunderbolt — a yorker too good for Atkinson — and it was all over. Gambhir's Message: "We'll NEVER Surrender" Following the dramatic win, Gautam Gambhir took to social media platform X to share a heartfelt message. 'We'll win some, we'll lose some.... but we'll NEVER surrender! Well done boys!' he wrote, encapsulating the spirit and resilience shown by the Indian team. The win was particularly meaningful for Gambhir, who has faced criticism during his early tenure as head coach, especially after a tough home series against New Zealand last October. This victory not only silences the doubters but also injects new momentum into India's red-ball campaign. With the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy now retained, India will look to build on this success in their next Test assignment a two-match home series against the West Indies. For Gambhir and his team, the thrilling triumph at The Oval could mark the beginning of a new chapter in Indian Test cricket.
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: Siraj Sartaj! Finally, Mohammed Siraj emerges out of senior Jasprit Bumrah's shadow
Mohammed Siraj of India greets the crowd after being announced as the player of the match on day five of the 5th Rothesay Test Match at The Kia Oval on August 04, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by) London: Mohammed Siraj woke up at 6 am on Monday. He typed the word 'believe' on his phone's browser. He discovered a Cristiano Ronaldo backshot where the footballer is seen pointing to the sky, with the words 'believe' superimposed on the photograph. He downloaded and saved the image as his phone's wallpaper. Just over a year ago, after Jasprit Bumrah helped India clinch a thrilling T20 World Cup final in Barbados, a video of Siraj had gone viral, in which he said, 'I only believe in Jassi bhai (Bumrah). He is a gamechanger.' Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Siraj is a simple human being who has done superhuman things over the course five Test matches in the last two months on English soil. After finishing off the last Test match with a searing yorker, he was the only pacer standing — from both sides — after playing in all five Test matches. On Monday after the dramatic win in the fifth Test, with Siraj next to him, Gill said, 'We always tell him that we only believe in Siraj.' 'Believe' is the most operative word in any conversation around Siraj. He is a man driven by emotion. He looks for emotional triggers to motivate himself. Joe Root laughed off his on-field stares and chatters on Sunday evening. 'He has the fake anger. He is a lovely lad and a good competitor. I love playing against him,' Root would say of the duel with Siraj. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Flexible MBA by SRM—Apply Now! SRM Online Apply Now Undo Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj press conference: India stars answer all questions Siraj has truly come of age on this tour. At a time when India's fast-bowling resources started to look grim with all the uncertainty around Bumrah's fitness, he has put his hand up and body on the line to emerge as India's true leader of the pace attack in Test cricket. He has bowled over 185 overs on this tour. This has been one of the flattest and most batting-friendly English summers. He came out of the summer with 23 wickets in nine innings at an average 26.9. Yet, he cringes at the term 'workload management'. 'To be honest, my body is fine right now. It's almost 187 overs in this series. When you play for the country, you give everything. Don't think too much. It doesn't matter if you are bowling your sixth over or the ninth of a spell. I believe in myself. You bowl every ball for the country, not for yourself,' Siraj said. Siraj channelled all his passion into the spell he put in at the Oval. He was hurling deliveries at 90 mph on Monday morning. He ran in every delivery with his limbs and mind directed towards one goal — get India over the line. There is ample guile and skill in his bowling too. It's true that the conditions favoured seam and swing but the control over the proceedings he had on Monday morning, while darting the ball around in the air and off the seam, was impeccable. If he played with Jamie Smith's eagerness to score quickly with outswingers, he darted one back from the same spot to trap Jamie Overton in front of the stumps. Poll How important is emotional motivation for athletes like Siraj? Very important Somewhat important Not important Unsure Siraj talks about being a leader now. Much of his career has gone by in the shadow of Bumrah's excellence. He has emerged out of it. He has proven that he can carry a pace attack even as Indian cricket stays obsessed with Bumrah's 'workload management' issues. The time he spent playing second fiddle has groomed him to be a leader. He has worked on the art of bowling in partnerships. He chose to remind the press that he picked 20 wickets even in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy which was headlined by a stellar Bumrah. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
Mohammed Siraj's success story: Mother's daily prayers, visit to late father's grave before tours
Cricketer Mohammaed Siraj with his family. (Instagram) NEW DELHI: For Mohammed Siraj , visiting his father's grave before and after cricket tour is a special routine. Before leaving for any tournament, he goes to his father's grave to pray and seek blessings. And when he returns, he goes straight there from the airport before going home. Siraj lost his father, Mohammed Ghouse, in 2021 while he was on tour to Australia. Since then, this ritual has helped him stay connected to his father, who was an auto-rickshaw driver and played a huge role in supporting Siraj's dream of becoming a cricketer. Bowled Over by Miya Magic: Mohammed Siraj shines brightest | IND vs ENG 5th Test Before leaving for England in June, Siraj packed his bags, hugged his mother, and told her, 'Ammi, mere liye dua karna. Main achha karun aur India ko jitau [Mom, pray for me. I want to do well and win for India].' As per ritual, he then went to his father's grave to pray before heading to the airport. 'Apne abbu se bahot pyar karta hai [Siraj loves his father dearly]. And his father loved him just as much — he would have done anything for him. My prayers are always with Siraj. May Allah bless my bachha with success in everything,' his mother Shabana Begum told by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo . Shabana never misses a match when Siraj is playing. She watched every game of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, clapping, cheering, and offering five prayers every day. In Islam, these daily prayers happen at dawn (Fajr), noon (Dhuhr), afternoon (Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and night (Isha). She didn't miss a single one during the England tour. Her prayers seemed to be with him throughout. Siraj played a key role in India's dramatic win in the fifth Test at The Oval, helping level the series 2-2. Mohammed Siraj won the Player of the Match at The Oval in the fifth Test between England and India. 'Ammi always prays for bhai. There's a lot of power in a mother's prayer. I believe it's because of both our parents' blessings that he's in a good space and doing well for India. He video calls Ammi every day to get her blessings. She always tells him, 'Hamesha tarakki kar, naam roshan kar' (Keep growing, make us proud),' said his brother, Mohammed Ismail . Ismail added, 'Abbu used to say, 'Beta, ek din tujhe bahut naam kamana hai. India ke liye khelna hai.' When he passed away during the Australia tour, Siraj was shattered. But Ammi told him, 'Jo ho gaya, so ho gaya. Ab game pe dhyan do (What's done is done, now focus on your game).'' Siraj was in Australia when Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri gave him the heartbreaking news. Emotionally broken, Siraj found strength through his teammates and responded by becoming India's highest wicket-taker in the series, claiming 13 wickets in three Tests, including a five-wicket haul — a tribute to the man who believed in him the most. SIRAJ - A WORKHORSE Where the focus had been on Jasprit Bumrah's workload management and fact that he would play three Tests, Mohammed Siraj largely flew under the radar in that department. Since 2020, Siraj is the player with most matches played for India - more than Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Shubman Gill, R Ashwin and even Bumrah. As Bumrah played three Tests, as planned, Siraj bowled his heart out, regularly hitting the right areas, troubling batters, beating batters, getting edges, close LBW calls, illicited "ohhs" and "aaahs" from the crowd, and, as the fifth Test was evidence, kept the fans on the edge of their seats. Siraj bowled 1113 balls (185.3 overs) in the series – the most by any bowler. Siraj signed off the England Test series as the highest wicket-taker with 23 wickets. ALSO READ | Mohammed Siraj: A warrior, who never stopped believing "Abbu ke liye khelna hai, unka sapna jiyunga main. That's what Siraj always says. Fitness is on another level for him now. And it is all because of Virat Kohli. He takes a lot of inspiration from Virat. He is more than his elder brother. The aggression and hunger, he has taken from Virat," Ismail said. "In 2018, Siraj had a terrible IPL season. A lot of questions were raised, but at that time, Virat bhaia stood by him and supported him. He knew what qualities Siraj had. He backed Siraj and gave a lot of chances to him at both RCB and in the India team. All the credit goes to Virat bhaia. There have been times when Siraj has confessed that he owes his career to Virat bhai. And that's absolutely true. He was fond of biryani, and now he eats it – and that too, rarely – after getting some pep talk from Virat bhaia," he said. "Siraj is a different player now. After not being picked in the ICC Champions Trophy, Siraj was upset. Really upset. He was heartbroken. But he became a different person. He started practicing more and more. There was some hard training and a strict regime involved then. Now, the results are in front of us. That gap between the Champions Trophy and the IPL gave him a lot of time to train both mentally and physically. That period did him a lot of good. He then played the IPL and performed well, and now in England, he is the highest wicket-taker," the brother said. BIG RONALDO FAN After India's thrilling win at The Oval, Siraj revealed that on the morning of the match, he downloaded a picture of football star Cristiano Ronaldo. The image had the word 'Believe' written on it — and that single word became Siraj's source of motivation as he went on to play a key role in India's historic win. Siraj's admiration for Ronaldo is no secret. Taking a wicket and celebrating with Ronaldo's iconic 'Siuuu' celebration has become his trademark. 'He has big posters of Ronaldo in his room. We live in a penthouse, and he's even built a mini-theatre there where he watches Ronaldo's matches. He never misses a single one. All we hear is his cheering and shouting whenever Ronaldo is playing,' Siraj's brother Ismail signed off. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
