Mohammed Siraj Honors Diogo Jota with Emotional Tribute During Test Match

Siraj's Heartfelt Gesture in Memory of Diogo Jota

Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj expressed deep emotions upon learning about the tragic passing of Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota in a car accident. During the second day of the third Test against England, Siraj paid tribute to the Portuguese player after taking the wicket of Jaime Smith.

Following the dismissal, Siraj signaled the number '20' with his fingers, representing Jota's jersey at Liverpool. He then raised both hands to the sky as a sign of respect for the footballer, who tragically lost his life alongside his brother Andre Silva in a mishap in Spain's Zamora region on July 3, while returning to Liverpool for pre-season training.

Siraj expressed his desire to honor Jota during the last Test, which India won by a significant margin of 336 runs, leveling the series.

"We learned about Diogo Jota's death during the previous match in Birmingham," Siraj mentioned in a video shared by the BCCI. "As a fan of Portugal, especially because Cristiano Ronaldo plays for that team, I felt a strong emotional connection. I wanted to pay my tribute in the last match itself."

A heartfelt gesture!

Mohammed Siraj pays his tribute to the late Diogo Jota. pic.twitter.com/B59kmWG3TO

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 12, 2025

Siraj revealed that he had discussed his intention to honor Jota with teammate Kuldeep Yadav, stating, "Today, after taking a wicket, I decided to make the gesture."

Reflecting on the unpredictability of life, he shared his thoughts, saying, "Life is very unpredictable, dear friend. We fight for various reasons, but we never know what tomorrow holds. There is no certainty in life."

He expressed his shock at the suddenness of such tragedies, particularly in a car accident, and explained, "Since I took a wicket, I thought it was fitting to honor Diogo Jota, Jersey No. 20, and that was the motivation behind my gesture."