'I keep in mind where I come from, don't like attitude and arrogance' - Mohammed Siraj on staying grounded after fame

India's right-arm pacer Mohammed Sirajhas recently opened up on his motto of never letting fame and popularity get to his head. Before Siraj carved his way to prominence in his international career, his journey was all about simplicity and humble roots.

Siraj said that he does not want to develop a negative attitude or become arrogant. He also narrated how he behaves when with his childhood friends till date. Siraj conceded that he has not lost touch with any of his childhood friends. 

"Keeping in mind

where I come from and where I have reached, I just don't like attitude and arrogance. I make an effort to stay down-to-earth. I have the same set of friends that I used to have back in the day. I still hang around with them. It's not that now I have become an India player, so I would make new friends and move around in a Range Rover with them. I do have a Range Rover and I drive around, but I still go to places where I played tennis-ball cricket with my old friends as a child," stated Siraj, as quoted by The Indian Express.

Siraj also conceded that he has made it clear to his childhood friends to not treat him any differently. He concluded by emphasisng that his aim has always been to stay grounded.

"I chill with them and stay the same as I always was. I don't make them feel uncomfortable. I will have tea in the same cup as them. We fool around and laugh the way we used to when I wasn't an international cricketer. I tell them not to give me any special treatment and that we are equals, just like it used to be. These days, people do a lot of things once they become successful. My aim is to always remain grounded. I am also aware that there will be times I will do well, but success can also disappear," he added.

Siraj has played 42 Tests, 44 ODIs and 16 T20Is for Indiasince his international debut in November 2017. He is currently involved in the home Test series against West Indies and was one of the star performers for the Shubman Gill-led unit in the series-opening clash, which India won by an innings and 140 runs in Ahmedabad.