New Delhi, India

Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj on Thursday landed in India after a gruelling tour of Australia and drove straight to his father's graveyard to pay his last respects to his departed father Mohammed Ghouse. Siraj's 53-year-old father had passed away on November 20 due to lung ailment, a week after Siraj landed in Australia with the Indian team. 

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Siraj's father breathed his last while his son was fulfilling his national duties for the Indian cricket team. While the youngster had the opportunity to return back and stay with his family, Siraj chose to stay back with the team instead of heading back to India. 

While players went home after earning a well-deserved rest ahead of the England series, the 26-year-old, who was India's highest wicket-taker in the Test series against Australia, drove straight from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad to the graveyard of his father in Khairtabad to pay last respects to his father Ghouse, TOI reported. 

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"I lost the biggest supporter of my life. He was the person who supported me the most in my pursuit of a cricket career. It's a great loss for me," Siraj had said.  

"Even though he is not in the world, he'll always be with me," he added.  

"Even though my mother and I would quite often scold Siraj for neglecting his studies and wasting his time playing cricket, my father never said a word to him. In fact, he encouraged him to go and play. He used to tell Siraj not to worry and that he will do whatever possible to help him play the game. Today, my father was proved right," Siraj's brother Mohammed Ismail was quoted as saying by TOI.  

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Siraj laid flowers on his father's grave and offered prayers before spending some time at the grave. He then left to his home in Al-Hasnath Colony in Toli Chowki. 

"Siraj arrived around 9 in the morning and from there he went straight to the graveyard. His father would have been very proud to see Siraj do so exceedingly well in Test cricket, especially against the Australians on their home ground. Siraj would have been happier if he had been able to hug his father on his return and share his success stories but destiny seems to have other plans," said Siraj's closest friend Mohammed Shafi, who had accompanied him to the graveyard told TOI. 

Siraj ended up with 13 wickets in the series in what was a fitting tribute to his departed father.