Mohammed Azharuddeen

Some Lesser Known Facts About Mohammed Azharuddeen

• Azharuddeen is the youngest sibling among his brothers.

• Azharuddeen started playing cricket at the age of ten at the Thalangara Tas Club. At 11, he was selected for the Under-13 district team and later became the team’s captain.

• In an interview, Azharuddeen said that his parents wanted to name him Ajmal, but his eldest brother, Kamarudden, named him after the name of former Indian cricket team captain Mohammad Azharuddin. He further said,
  

  All my brothers are huge fans of Sachin (Tendulkar) sir. They are mad about him. There was a time when if Sachin sir got out, they would turn off the television But one of my older brothers, Kamaruddin, is a huge Azhar sir fan. He convinced my parents to name me Azharuddeen. He didn’t keep the same spelling, but wanted the same name. That’s how I got this name,”

• After he lost his father at 15 and his mother at the age of 20, Azharuddeen was supported by his brother Unais, who helped him to achieve his cricketing ambitions.

• Azharudeen made his first-class debut on 15 November 2015 in the 2015–16 Ranji Trophy.

  

• Azharudeen made his List A debut on 10 December 2015 in the 2015–16 Vijay Hazare Trophy.

• Azharuddeen made his Twenty20 debut on 2 January 2016 in the 2015–16 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

• Azharuddeen’s name was among the list of five players who were suspended for three games in the 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy after showing dissent against Kerala’s captain, Sachin Baby, in August 2018.

• On 13 January 2021, Azharuddeen made a century against Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in just 37 balls, the second-fastest record century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the third-fastest by an Indian batsman. His final score of 137 off 54 deliveries was also the third-highest score in the tournament.

• In February 2021, Azharuddeen was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs. 20 lakhs in the IPL auction ahead of the 2021 Indian Premier League.