Champions Trophy 2025: Here's Why Team India Dropped Mohammed Siraj

Add as a preferred source on Google

India's focus on spin and doubts about Mohammed Siraj's performance with the old ball led to his exclusion from the Champions Trophy squad. The 15-member team, announced for the tournament starting February 19, will play all matches in Dubai under Rohit Sharma's leadership.

Selectors, headed by Ajit Agarkar, gave Yashasvi Jaiswal his first ODI call-up but omitted Siraj due to concerns about his skills with the older ball.

Rohit Sharma explained that the decision was made after considering the conditions in Dubai, which are not expected to favour fast bowlers. India opted for a spin-heavy attack, including Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar.

"We wanted options for both new ball and back-end bowling," Rohit stated at the Wankhede Stadium after announcing squads for upcoming matches against England and the Champions Trophy.

Focus on Spin and Seam Options

With Jasprit Bumrah unavailable for the first two ODIs against England, Harshit Rana will replace him in Nagpur and Cuttack. Bumrah is expected to return for the final match on February 12 in Ahmedabad. Rohit acknowledged that Siraj's absence makes the squad seem less experienced but explained the reasoning behind it.

Rohit elaborated that Arshdeep Singh was chosen to play a role at the back end, while Mohammed Shami's effectiveness with the new ball was crucial. "Siraj's effectiveness decreases if he doesn't take the new ball," Rohit noted. The decision to include only three seamers was made to ensure all-rounders were available.

Balancing Experience and New Talent

Rohit expressed confidence in the selected pacers' ability to cover all aspects of the game. "We have guys who can bowl effectively with the new ball, in the middle, and at the back end," he said. India's spin-heavy approach in last year's T20 World Cup saw fast bowlers like Bumrah, Arshdeep, and Hardik Pandya taking the most wickets.

Rohit hopes Arshdeep will perform well in ODIs after being part of the T20I setup for a long time. "Arshdeep hasn't played many ODIs but has been around white-ball cricket," Rohit mentioned. He believes Arshdeep can handle pressure, while Shami remains a key player in white-ball cricket.

Rohit concluded that although it's unfortunate for Siraj to miss out, such decisions are sometimes necessary. "You can't please everyone," he remarked. The team aims to balance experience with new talent as they prepare for upcoming challenges in Dubai.