Siraj admires Kohli as an 'elder brother' and 'guiding light': Dinesh Karthik

image-legs6gb0Mohammed Siraj's rise in international cricket has been extra-ordinary (Twitter)

Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has received widespread recognition as one of the country's top-rated fast bowlers across all formats. The Hyderabad born cricketer has become a vital part of the national team.

However, the start of his stint with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) was not always smooth sailing, with his tendency to concede runs putting his place in the team in jeopardy. It was only thanks to the unwavering support of former RCB captain and Indian skipper Virat Kohli that Siraj managed to turn things around.

Kohli, despite not leading his team to a major trophy, is widely respected for his leadership qualities both at the national and club level. 

With the support and guidance of the Indian talisman, as well as former Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun, the pacer worked hard on his skills and improved significantly in white-ball cricket.

In an interview with Cricbuzz, Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik shed some light on how Kohli backed Siraj in the initial phase of his career despite poor performances.

The wicketkeeper-batter revealed that the 28-year-old seamer sees the Indian veteran as an "elder brother" and "guiding light" in his life. 

According to the Tamil Nadu based cricketer, the World No. 1 ODI bowler values both Kohli and Arun immensely, with the latter having coached him during his formative years for Hyderabad.