India and Hyderabad pacer Mohammed Siraj is in Australia for the upcoming 4-match Test series and was struck by a huge personal loss as he lost his father on Friday (November 20). His father was 53 years of age and Siraj had credited his father’s hard work for his success in the game.
Siraj, who has played limited-overs matches for India, received his maiden Test call-up after an impressive performance in the recently concluded IPL 2020. The BCCI had offered to fly Siraj back home for the funeral of his father, however, the bowler decided to stay back in Australia.
BCCI said in a statement, "Team India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj lost his father on Friday after a brief illness. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had a discussion with Siraj and he was offered the option of flying back and be with his family in this hour of grief."
"The fast bowler has decided to stay with the Indian contingent and continue performing his national duties. The BCCI shares his grief and will be supportive of Siraj in this extremely challenging phase."
The battle for the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy will kick-start with the pink-ball affair at the Adelaide Oval on December 17. Melbourne will host the second Test from December 26 while the third and fourth Tests will be played in Sydney Cricket Ground (January 7-11) and Brisbane's Gabba (January 15-19), respectively.
Siraj will expect to make his debut in the Test series, but for now, he is receiving messages of condolences and solidarity from everywhere and even the Indian cricket fraternity took to Twitter to laud his spirit and courage and prayed he received strength in this time of bereavement.
Here are the tweets:
