I am thrilled about it as I hadn't expected to be picked up for such a high price. "I was fascinated with the game from a young age but didn't get an opportunity to go in for any formal coaching. But I was smitten by cricket and used to play 'gulli' (street) cricket with a tennis ball in our area. "It was not a good match but I went back to work on my basics," he added.Things, however, fell in place with the appointment of Bharat Arun as the coach of the Hyderabad team this season. Siraj was part of the troika of pacers who helped Hyderabad march into the quarters of the Ranji Trophy.

Source: Times of India February 21, 2017 02:53 UTC