Telangana DGP Hails Mohammed Siraj's Inspiring Journey from Hyderabad to Team India

India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who also serves as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the Telangana Police, met Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) C.V. Anand at the DGP headquarters in Hyderabad on Tuesday as part of an official courtesy visit. The meeting not only marked a formal interaction but also celebrated Siraj's inspiring rise from the streets of Hyderabad to becoming one of India's premier fast bowlers.

Sharing details of the meeting on social media platform X, C.V. Anand reminisced about Siraj's early cricketing days. He recalled that former Hyderabad cricketer and selector Abdul Azeem had asked him to watch the young pacer during the 2013-14 domestic season. Impressed by Siraj's raw pace and natural ability, Anand said he was immediately given opportunities in two-day league cricket before progressing to three-day matches in 2015, eventually earning a place in the Hyderabad Ranji Trophy squad.

The DGP described Siraj's 2016-17 Ranji Trophy campaign, in which he claimed 41 wickets, as the turning point of his career. He praised the pacer's discipline, perseverance and determination in overcoming personal hardships to establish himself across all three international formats. Calling Siraj one of Hyderabad's finest sporting ambassadors, Anand expressed confidence that he would continue to bring laurels to both India and Telangana.

Following India's triumph in the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, the Telangana Government honoured Siraj by appointing him as a DSP in the Telangana Police. He officially assumed office on October 11, 2024, becoming one of the few active international cricketers to hold a senior position in the state police service.

Currently, Siraj is not part of India's ongoing tours of England and Ireland, after the BCCI medical team advised him to take a break under its workload management programme to ensure his long-term fitness ahead of a busy international calendar.

Siraj made his international debut in a T20I against New Zealand on November 4, 2017, and has since emerged as a key pillar of India's pace attack. Across Tests, ODIs and T20Is, he has claimed 233 international wickets, including 140 in Tests, 76 in ODIs and 17 in T20Is.

His career is highlighted by several memorable performances, including a sensational spell of 6 for 21 against Sri Lanka in the 2023 Asia Cup final, where he became the first Indian bowler to take four wickets in a single over in an ODI. He also played a crucial role in India's historic 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph in Australia. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Siraj currently represents the Gujarat Titans, having previously played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad. With 128 wickets in 125 IPL matches and having reached the No. 1 spot in the ICC ODI bowling rankings in January 2023, Siraj continues to be one of the world's leading fast bowlers and an inspiration for aspiring cricketers across the country.