Overview

• Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun recounts that Siraj was confined to his hotel room after his father’s passing, describing the bio-bubble as a “five-star jail.”
• Only the team manager could visit Siraj in person with special permission, while teammates and staff were limited to calls and video chats.
• Team management offered Siraj the chance to return home, but he chose to stay to honor his father’s wish that he play Test cricket.
• Siraj made his debut in the 2020–21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy and took 13 wickets in six innings, including a five-for at the Gabba in India’s 2–1 series win.
• The retelling comes in a Bombay Sports Exchange interview reported by multiple outlets following Siraj’s standout 2025 series, where he led India with 23 wickets.