‘Jaa ke apne baap ke saath auto chala’: Siraj recalls abuse predicted by Dhoni; ‘Yahi duniya tujhe gaali degi…’

Mohammed Siraj, once trolled and abused for his IPL performances, credited MS Dhoni for his advice, which provided him with mental strength.

Life was anything but a bed of roses for Mohammed Siraj till he started playing for India. It would be an exaggeration to state that it is one now, but Siraj has left his toughest days well behind. The 31-year-old man from Hyderabad, widely acknowledged as the second-best Indian fast bowler after Jasprit Bumrah, is very much aware of the high emotions that drive the Indian fans. Whether they would behave as devotees or become unforgiving entirely depends on the outcome of what transpires on the cricket field. Siraj has tasted both very early in his career.

Mohammed Siraj with MS Dhoni

The hero of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, which India drew 2-2 against England, was once severely trolled for having a bad season for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL. In an interview with The Indian Express, Siraj, who made his IPL debut in 2017 before going on to play his first T20I in the same year, opened up about facing intense trolling during a rough IPL phase — and the powerful words from MS Dhoni that helped him rise above it.

“When things didn’t go my way during the IPL, I was trolled very badly,” Siraj admitted. “One day, fans say ‘there’s no bowler like Siraj,’ and the next, if I don’t perform, they say ‘jaa ke apne baap ke saath auto chalao’ (go ride the auto with your father). What’s the point of this?”

Siraj recalled how this brutal flip in public opinion pushed him to tune out the noise and focus only on what truly mattered — his team and family.

“I remember when I joined the India team, MS Dhoni had told me, ‘Kisi ki baaton mein nahin aana. Jab tu acha karega, toh poori duniya tumhare saath rahegi, aur jab kharaab karega, yahi duniya tujhe gaali degi’ (Don’t pay attention to what others say. When you do well, everyone is with you. When you fail, they will be the first to abuse you).”

Dhoni's advice stayed with Siraj and became a cornerstone of his mental strength. “That’s when I decided, I don’t need outside praise. What my teammates and family think — that’s what matters.”

The rise of Mohammed Siraj

The journey to international cricket was far from easy for Siraj, who grew up in a modest household in Hyderabad. His father drove an auto-rickshaw, and his mother worked hard to support the family. Cricket, at the time, was nothing more than a dream — and even that felt out of reach.

“To be honest, I never dreamt of playing for India,” he said. “We didn’t have money. I used to give whatever I earned from tennis-ball cricket to my parents.”

Siraj played his first major tournament at the district level — still without ever having bowled with a leather ball. His breakthrough came at a match at the Vijay Anand ground, where the owner of Charminar Cricket Club spotted his raw pace and potential.

“When he asked me to join his club, I told him I had financial problems. He said, ‘Tension mat le (don’t worry), we’ll provide everything.’ That was a turning point. I wore spikes for the first time after joining them.”

Word began to spread: there was a young fast bowler from Hyderabad who could really crank up the pace. Confidence grew. So did the opportunities.

As a net bowler ahead of a Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad match, Siraj bowled to Virat Kohli and KL Rahul — catching the eye of then-India bowling coach Bharat Arun.

Though he was left out of the Ranji Trophy squad the following season, fate had other plans. Arun, now the coach of Hyderabad, tracked Siraj down.

“Arun sir said, ‘Where is this kid I saw?’ He got me into the team, and that year I became the highest wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy.”

Siraj credits his rise to hard work, divine timing, and the blessings of his parents. “Upar wale ne saath diya, meri mehnat thi, maa-baap ki dua thi (God helped me, I worked hard, and I had my parents’ blessings).”