Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj has opened up about his omission from India’s Champions Trophy squad earlier this year. For the showpiece event co-hosted by Pakistan and Dubai, India had gone with pacers Mohammed Shami, Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, overlooking Siraj, who was in a bit of a struggling mode at that time. However, Siraj didn’t have any issue with being snubbed; instead, he devoted himself to rigorous training to further boost his skills. Siraj, meanwhile, maintained that he’s always dreamed of playing Champions Trophy.
“For a professional, an ICC event is incredibly important. It's every player's dream to win one. I've always dreamed of playing in the Champions Trophy and doing well for my country, but perhaps it wasn't written in my destiny. At first, it was difficult to reconcile, but I made peace with myself, focussing on improving and performing better. That has given me immense motivation,” Siraj was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
“I started concentrating on my fitness and running. I spoke to Soham Bhai (trainer Soham Desai), who guided me with a programme to work on my fitness. Soham Bhai has been a crucial support system for me, both in the past and present. When I first met him in 2018, I wasn't fully convinced by his methods. But he told me that to achieve big things, one has to sacrifice. I trusted his advice, and now, he knows my body better than I do."
Currently, Siraj is playing for Gujarat Titans in the IPL after being released by RCB. He is GT’s third-highest wicket-taker with 11 wickets in seven matches. Siraj was acquired by GT in the mega auction last year for ₹12.25 crores.