“It was the five-star jail” - When Mohammed Siraj was alone in the hotel room after his father’s death

Former Team India bowling coach Bharat Arun has revealed one of the toughest moments of Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj’s career during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21 against Australia Down Under.

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Moving into the details, Siraj made his Test debut during the BGT 2020-21 tour. However, before the start of the tour, the pacer lost his father due to health issues. Unfortunately, he couldn’t travel back to India due to the COVID-19 pandemic and forced bio bubble.

Arun has revealed that the seamer was stranded alone in his room and no one could visit him because of the strict guidelines set in the country then. He also disclosed that only the team manager had the permission to go to the player’s room.

“It was the five-star jail. The manager was the only one to go. He got special permission, but none of us could visit him. It was really tough. We spoke a lot on the phone. We spoke on WhatsApp calls,” Bharat Arun said to Bombay Sport Exchange.

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“But that was it. There's nothing like human touch. Shoulder to cry on, at that point, would have meant a lot to Siraj, but there was no shoulder to cry on,” he added.

While India bagged a famous 2-1 Test series win Down Under, Siraj shone with 13 wickets from six innings, including a fifer in the last and final Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. Furthermore, Arun also disclosed that Siraj was offered the chance to go back to India, which was declined by the seamer.

“He got on a video call, and I spoke to him, then we asked him, ‘Would you like to go back?’ Ravi told me that it is so far away, so what can be done now? Siraj then told me that it was his father's dream to watch him play Tests. He said, ‘I will stay here. ’ I thought that was outstanding,” said Arun.

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