Guwahati: Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj faced a frustrating ordeal at Guwahati’s Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport on Wednesday when his Air India Express flight (IX 2884) to Hyderabad was delayed by nearly four hours without proper communication from the airline.
Siraj, who was returning home after India’s crushing defeat to South Africa in the second Test, took to social media to express his anger over the airline’s handling of the situation. The flight, scheduled to depart at 7:25 pm, left passengers stranded with no clear explanation for the delay.
He criticised the airline for repeated postponements and the absence of updates, calling it his “worst airline experience.” In a strongly-worded post on X, Siraj wrote that even after multiple follow-ups, the airline failed to provide a reason for the holdup. He added that a four-hour delay without communication was unacceptable and warned travellers against choosing the airline if it could not take responsibility.
Also Read: Illegal Mining Continues in Dhubri and BTR as Authorities Stay Silent
Siraj’s travel troubles came just after India’s 408-run defeat to South Africa—India’s biggest loss by runs in Test cricket and South Africa’s largest victory against India. Siraj had figures of 2/105 in the first innings and went wicketless in the second. The series ended in a 2–0 sweep for South Africa, their first Test series win in India in 25 years.
With standout performances from Senuran Muthusamy, Marco Jansen, and Simon Harmer, India’s batting collapse to 140 while chasing 549 added to concerns about the team’s recent form. Coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Rishabh Pant both acknowledged responsibility for the disappointing series.
