"Bhai Mazaak Mat Karo": Mohammed Siraj Reveals Epic T20 World Cup Call Up Story
Mohammed Siraj thought his selection for the T20 World Cup was a joke. When India skipper Suryakumar Yadav called him about the selection, the pacer refused to believe him.
- Mohammed Siraj replaced injured Harshit Rana in India's T20 World Cup 2026 squad
- Captain Suryakumar Yadav and selector Pragyan Ojha informed Siraj of his selection
- In disbelief, Siraj said: "I told Surya, 'Bhai mazaak mat karo kyon ki yeh to honewala hai nahi"
Prepared to travel to Spain for the Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad match in La Liga, India pacer Mohammed Siraj had a swift change of plans as the selectors picked him as a replacement for injured Harshit Rana in India's T20 World Cup 2026 plans. Siraj, who was India's chief destructor with the ball in the opening match against the United States of America, revealed how skipper Suryakumar Yadav called him about selection in the T20 World Cup team as a replacement for Harshit. Siraj, however, refused to believe that Surya was telling the truth.
"Two days ago Surya bhai said: "Miyaan bags pack kaar aur aaja (Pack your bags and come (to Mumbai)). I told him "Bhai mazaak mat karo kyon ki yeh to honewala hain nahi (Brother please don't joke as this won't happen). But he said 'mai sach keh raha hoon, ready ho ja' (I am telling you the truth, get ready).
Not long after Surya's call, Pragyan Ojha - a member of India's selection committee - called him and revealed the same. Siraj was thrilled, even as his tickets for the flight to Madrid were already booked.
"Then (India selector Pragyan) Ojha bhai called me... Whatever the almighty has written, no one can change that," an elated Siraj narrated his comeback story in the post-match presentation.
"There is a Real Madrid game on 15th and I was going to watch it and after that Ramzan, but whatever the almighty has written..."
Despite not being a part of India's initial T20 World Cup squad, Siraj was working hard in domestic cricket. After receiving a text by India's strength and conditioning coach, Adrian Le Roux, the pacer said he couldn't talk as he is tired from playing two 4-day games.
In fact, when the team's S&C coach, Adrian Le Roux, had messaged him asking "what's the plan", Siraj had replied: "'Don't message me right now because I have played two four-day games and I need rest. I will see after this what the plan is."
As the pacer found himself on the flight to Mumbai for the T20 World Cup, Siraj admitted that he had not thought that playing in the T20 World Cup was still possible for him.
"It was feeling like a dream when I was on the flight, because I had not thought about playing in the World Cup," Siraj said.
"The planning was going on for the last one year, those who were bound to play in this were getting the chances and since I had not played T20Is, I had understood that I won't be a part of it," he added.
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