Over the past couple of years, Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj had been a regular player in all formats. So, it was kind of a shock when he didn’t make the cut for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 team. A lot of people were scratching their heads when the selectors picked Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana instead of Siraj, mainly since Jasprit Bumrah was out with an injury.
Rohit Sharma, the India captain, tried to explain why the selection committee left out Siraj. He said that Siraj wasn’t as good with the older ball, and that was a big reason for the decision. But Siraj is fighting back, saying that Rohit’s not telling it like it is.
Even though India’s choice to go with Harshit Rana paid off – they came back from Dubai with the Champions Trophy trophy, Siraj decided to set the record straight, pointing out how well he’s done with the old ball.
I’ve grabbed the most wickets with the old ball in the last year compared to the world’s ten fastest bowlers. My economy rate is low too. The stats don’t lie. I’ve been doing great with both the new and old ball, Siraj said at a press conference before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.
Before the Champions Trophy team was announced, Siraj wasn’t at his best. His form had dipped in the last six months, but he did pretty well in the Test series against Australia. Still, when the Champions Trophy team was announced, Rohit said they had no choice but to leave Siraj out.
Siraj isn’t quite as great if he’s not bowling with the new ball. We talked about it a lot, and we’re only bringing three fast bowlers to the Champions Trophy because we wanted all-rounders with us, Rohit said at the team announcement press conference.
It sucks that he has to miss out, but we had to pick the guys who could do a specific job, he added.
When someone asked Siraj about not being picked for the Champions Trophy, he said that it’s not up to him, but he’s got his eye on the upcoming England tour.
Look, I can’t control the team selection. All I can control is the cricket ball in my hand, and I want to do the best I can with that. I don’t want to stress about team selection. I just want to focus on playing well.
Yeah, as a player, you always have in the back of your mind that there’s a tour of England and the Asia Cup coming up, but I’m not really stressing about it. Right now, I’m focused on the IPL and doing well for Gujarat Titans and helping them win another IPL title, he said.
