Aakash Chopra questions Mohammed Siraj's disappearance from ODIs and T20Is, says 'Can you Understand What is.Happening?'

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Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has voiced strong criticism against the national selectors for sidelining Mohammed Siraj in limited-over formats, effectively turning him into a Test specialist.

Despite Siraj's proven track record across cricket's formats, his absence from recent ODI and T20I squads has raised eyebrows, with no clear rationale provided.​

Chopra emphasized Siraj's recent contributions, such as his economical bowling in the ODI series against Australia, underscoring the pacers' versatility in white-ball cricket.

"Can you understand what is happening with Mohammed Siraj? I cannot understand at all. I cannot wrap my head around the fact that he has become a one-format player. And when did this happen? When he plays Test cricket, we are so effusive of him for his passion, commitment and wicket-taking abilities," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

He highlighted iconic performances like Siraj's 7-wicket haul in the Asia Cup 2023 final against Sri Lanka as evidence of his white-ball prowess.​

"But how did he vanish from ODI cricket? He is playing domestic cricket currently. When he was not picked for the Champions Trophy, we were a little disappointed because two years prior to that, he was the highest wicket-taker for India in that format," he added.

India's pace rotation policy favours emerging talents like Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna, often benching experienced bowlers such as Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah to build depth. This approach has drawn flak amid struggles in dew-affected home conditions, where seasoned performers could provide stability.

"Then suddenly, his name [Siraj] is missing. And it's still missing. Others are playing - Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna, but Mohammed Siraj is nowhere to be seen. He is not in ODIs, absent from T20Is. Why did this happen? Personally, I don't know. When did he become a single-format player?" Chopra concluded his rant.

Chopra argues for transparent reasoning behind limiting a bowler of Siraj's caliber, known for swing, bounce, and middle-over aggression in red-ball cricket alone, especially with a busy ICC calendar ahead. For the upcoming South Africa T20I series, Siraj remains uncalled, which may indicate his future for the upcoming T20 World Cup as well.