Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj was born on 13 March, 1994 (31 years old) at Hyderabad, India. He is a Bowler who is currently playing for teams - Gujarat Titans, India and Hyderabad (India). His last appearance was for India on 31 July, 2025.

Mohammed Siraj Profile – Full Name, Age & Bowling Style

Mohammed Siraj is an Indian right-arm fast bowler who has established himself as India’s rising pace spearhead. From humble beginnings from the streets of Hyderabad, he has established himself as a Test match warrior with his astounding bowling capabilities that stunned England in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. His aggressive fast bowling is world renowned and he is a tireless bowling workhorse. His journey from the lanes of Hyderabad to global acclaim is nothing short of extraordinary.

Full Name, Date of Birth & Age

Mohammed Siraj was born on 13 March 1994 in Hyderabad, Telangana. He is currently 31 years of age.

Role & Bowling Technique

Siraj’s primary role is a right-arm fast bowler who bats in the lower order, typically as tailender. He is known for his skiddy pace, aggression, accurate yorkers and spell-ending bowling. He uses an upright seam position and holds the ability to extract movement both off the pitch and in the air. He is known for his aggressive strike-bowling and is praised both for his endurance and ability to deliver under pressure. He is also quite consistent in his sustained performances.

Family, Early Life & Humble Beginnings

Family Background & Upbringing

Siraj was born in a Hyderabadi Muslim family. His father, Mirza Mohammed Ghaus was an auto-rickshaw driver and his mother, Shabana Begum is a housewife. He also has an elder brother named Mohammed Ismail who is an engineer. He comes from a modest family with humble beginnings. His father passed away in 2020 when he was with the national team in Australia. His emotional tribute to his father during the tour became a symbol of resilience, dedication and commitment to the game.

Cricketing Roots & Drive

Siraj began his cricketing journey in the lanes of Hyderabad with a tennis ball. He started playing around the age of 16 and played his first club cricket at age 19. In his first-ever match for his uncle’s team at the Hyderabad Cricket Association, he stunned everyone by claiming 9 wickets. His financial hardships, being the son of an auto-rickshaw driver, drove his natural hunger for success and his unwavering dedication and hard work helped him rise to fame. His narrative from the son of an auto-rickshaw driver to international fame is often sighted in the media as an example.

Domestic & IPL Journey

Domestic Debut & Progression

Siraj made his first-class debut for Hyderabad on 15 November 2015 in the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy tournament. His T20 debut came shortly after at the 2016-17 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on 2 January 2016. He impressed at the 2016-17 edition of the Ranji Trophy where he was the highest wicket taker for Hyderabad with 41. He was also the leading wicket taker in the 2017-18 Vijay Hazare Trophy with a spectacular 23 wickets in just 7 games. These headline-making performances fastracked his way into the India A and India B’s squad.

IPL Franchise Story

Siraj’s IPL journey began in 2017 when he was acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad for Rs 2.6 crore after being impressed with his bowling. He made quite the statement in his debut season, clinching 10 wickets in 6 games. In 2018, he switched teams to join Royal Challengers Bangalore, where his form was marked with inconsistency. Nevertheless, in 2020, he became the first player in the tournament’s history to claim two back-to-back maiden overs, further cementing his status as a special bowler. In the 2025 Mega Auction, he was picked by Gujarat Titans for Rs 12.25 crore and in the season, he claimed 16 wickets in 15 matches.

International Career – Debut & Transformative Performances

International Debut Timeline

Siraj made his first international debut at a T20I match against New Zealand at Rajkot on November 4, 2017. He made his ODI debut against Australia at Adelaide on January 15, 2019. And finally, he made his Test debut for the national team on December 26, 2020 against Australia at Melbourne.

Breakthrough Moments & Impact

In January 2021, Siraj took his maiden 5-wicket haul against Australia at the Gabba which was one of his career-defining moments. India won the match after Siraj’s awe-inspiring 5/73 haul in the fourth Test. In August of the same year, during his fifth Test, he took 4/32 against England at Lord’s. His ODI performances against NZ in January 2023 helped him achieve No. 1 in ICC Bowler’s Rankings - a feat not many have achieved.

However, the most iconic moment of his career came in the Asia Cup final on 17 September 2023, he became the joint-fastest bowler to take a 6-wicket haul in ODIs. Also, he became the first Indian player to take 4 wickets in an over and recorded his career best stat of 6/21 - an insane performance for a final! His recent exploits in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy are a testament to his exquisite skill and immaculate talent.

He completed his fourth and fifth 5-wicket haul in the series, and his heroics in the final match, after England failed to chase down an achievable score, thanks to his bowling, Siraj grabbed the spotlight. He was named the Player of the Match and was the highest wicket-taker with 23 in 9 innings.

Workload, Leadership Emergence & Recognition

Workload Management & Mentions

Even though Siraj grabbed all the headlines due to his exquisite performance against England in the Anderson-Tendulkar series, there have been concerns circulating regarding his fitness. He is known for his aggression and never-give-up attitude but according to experts, his body might begin to feel the stress if he doesn’t dial it down a notch. Siraj is a key asset to India’s long-term plans and if he suffers any serious injury, especially due to recklessness, it could prove costly in the long run.

Rise as India’s Pace Leader

Siraj’s explosive performances in the Anderson-Tendulkar series has not only proven that he is no longer a support bowler to Jasprit Bumrah (who is considered by many to be India’s best), but a force to be reckoned with. His clutch performances were also praised by former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, who stressed the fact that Siraj stepped up and rose to the occasion in Bumrah's absence. Siraj is brimming with confidence and his rise as India’s pace leader is worthy of very high praise.

Off-Field Persona & Emotive Moments

Emotional Highlights & Personal Moments

Siraj’s father’s passing affected him deeply, especially during the Test against Australia, where he was teary-eyed during the National Anthem remembering his father. At that series, every wicket he took was dedicated to his father - a highlight of deep emotional value.

He recently celebrated Raksha Bandhan with Asha Bhosle’s granddaughter - Zanai Bhosle. After initial speculations about them dating, his Instagram post about this made it clear that they share a brother-sister relationship, which also resonated quite well with fans and followers.

Siraj also shares a deep personal connection with Virat Kohli. Kohli’s Test jersey is at a special place at Siraj’s home which is a reflection of the professionalism, affection and immense respect that these two have for each other. Siraj admires Kohli as one of India’s greatest ever cricketers and how Kohli’s mentorship during Siraj’s early days at RCB helped him grow from an amateur to a world-class fast bowler. Siraj’s emotional connection with Kohli and Kohli’s subsequent respect and admiration for Siraj are a unique sight to behold.

Controversies & Media Buzz

Siraj is not a player without his fair share of controversies. Recently, after eliminating Chris Woakes for the 10th wicket in a dramatic match that India won narrowly, Siraj pulled the iconic “Siu” celebration of Cristiano Ronaldo. However, English fans did not take kindly to the celebration, with many calling it “cringe” and how it was “disrespectful”. However, there are others who praised him as well and how his “clutch” performance was reminiscent of Ronaldo’s clutch performances as well.

Siraj also recently came under fire for alleged “ball tampering”. Someone on Twitter claimed that the ball, despite being 80 overs old, was generating swing and shining like new. People on social media claimed that the ball should be sent to the lab for examination. Siraj and Prasidh Krishna both generated swing despite the ball being quite old, which led some to believe that India used Vaseline to rub the ball with.

However, it is not all controversy for the Indian fast bowler. The news right now focuses on Siraj being the first-ever player in 41 years to take a 9-wicket haul in an innings at The Oval. The media, and especially Indian media, are praising Siraj for his incredible performance left and right.

Awards, Achievements & Milestones

2023 - No 1 in ICC ODI Bowler Rankings

2023 - Impact Fielder of the T20I series against South Africa

2025 - First player in 41 years to claim a 9-wicket haul in a match at The Oval

2016-17 Ranji Trophy - Hyderabad’s leading wicket-taker with 41 in 9 games

2023 - Asia Cup Winner

2024 - ICC T20 World Cup Winner

Trivia & Lesser-Known Facts

He never enrolled formally in any cricket academy as he was a self-taught bowler playing with tennis balls.

His first ever club match ended with him taking 9 wickets in one match, for which he was awarded Rs 500.

He broke the record in the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy season when he became the leading wicket-taker for Hyderabad with 41 in 9 games.

He is the fastest Indian to claim 50 wickets in Test matches - in just 11.  

He was appointed as the Honorary Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) by the Government of Telangana in February 2021 due to his performances in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.