"Surya bhai ne bola aane ka, toh aane ka”- Mohammed Siraj’s funny take on his late India call-up for T20 World Cup 2026

After being added to the 2026 T20 World Cup roster as a last-minute injury replacement, Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj made a joke on how impossible it is to refuse captain Suryakumar Yadav's call and request. 

Due to Jasprit Bumrah's illness and Harshit Rana's knee injury, the right-arm pacer was immediately put into the starting lineup for the first match. During India's injury crisis, Mohammed Siraj was the sole frontline seamer on the bench. 

He ended up playing against the United States of America (USA) at Wankhede Stadium. In the absence of the team's captain, the right-arm pacer performed admirably with the ball, scoring 3-29 to give India a 29-run victory.

Siraj’s exclusion from original India squad for T20 World Cup 2026 was surprising given that he was part of the 2024 T20 World Cup winning India squad. 

"Surya bhai ne bola aane ka, toh aane ka (If brother Surya tells you to come to the team, you have to come). I actually last met Surya in the IPL, and after that I never got the chance to meet hm. I never thought I will play this World Cup, because last year I was a champion. After that, I was not a part of the team because the same players from the 2024 World Cup were there," Mohammed Siraj said in a video released by the BCCI.

"But no one can change what god writes. So, I got in the team, played today's match, and also performed well. So, how much ever I thank god, it is less. Now, we have to carry this momentum," he added.

India will next take on Namibia in Delhi after five days and despite his brilliant bowling performance, Mohammed Siraj might have to make way for Jasprit Bumrah in the India XI. The IND v NAM match will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, on Thursday, February 12.

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