Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj was visibly emotional as he made a poignant gesture in memory of late Liverpool soccer player Diogo Jota, who lost his life in a road accident last month. Siraj’s silent yet poignant gesture when England’s Jaime Smith got out on Day 2 of the third Test at Lord’s was a subtle tribute to the Portuguese striker.

After taking Smith’s wicket, Siraj held up his fingers to signify the number 20, Jota’s jersey number at Liverpool before raising both hands toward the sky. The symbolic moment captured his deep respect for the footballer, who, along with his brother André Silva, died in a car crash in the Zamora region of Spain on July 3 while returning to Liverpool for pre-season training.

In a video posted by the BCCI, Siraj spoke about the emotional effect of Jota’s passing.

“We came to know during the final Test in Birmingham that Diogo Jota was no more in a car accident,” Siraj explained.

“Being a Portugal fan and Cristiano Ronaldo being with that team, it actually hit me very hard. I wanted to make a gesture in the very last game itself, and I even discussed with Kuldeep [Yadav] as well. But today, I did get a wicket and thought I might as well do the tribute thing.”

Siraj’s comments had a more philosophical turn as he mused about the transience of life:

“Life is very unpredictable, yaar. We are all fighting and pushing ourselves but for what? We don’t even know what tomorrow will be like. There’s no guarantee in life.”

The 30-year-old pacer, infamous for his aggressive spells and emotional strength, has never been afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve. His paean to Jota touched everybody’s heart, both cricket and football fans alike, bringing sportsmanship and sheer humanity together.

As Siraj keeps making headlines with his on-field performances, this heartwarming moment off the field brings to mind that even amidst the frenzy of competition, sportspersons are still closely connected to the world around them and are never shy to exhibit it.