Siraj returns home to a hero’s welcome

Hyderabad: India pacer Mohammed Siraj on Wednesday landed in his hometown Hyderabad after a stellar performance in the intensely-contested drawn Test series against England and enthusiastic fans made a beeline to welcome him.

Siraj was the leading wicket-taker in the five-match series. He played all the five games and bowled a mammoth 185.3 overs. The 31-year-old, along with team’s fielding coach T Dilip, first landed at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport terminal from London before heading to his home base. He was dressed in dapper black casuals and a small group of fans gave him a joyous welcome.

There were requests for selfies and autographs but Siraj quickly trooped into a car and left for the domestic terminal to catch the connecting flight to Hyderabad, where he was once again greeted by a group of adoring fans. “We have not spoken to him yet. But we will certainly plan something (felicitation) for him, as he could be in the city for a while now. It’s a matter of pride for all of us that he did so well for the country in the series against England,” a Hyderabad Cricket Association official said.