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Ajit Agarkarthe chief selector of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)has addressed the notable omission of fast bowling Mohammed Siraj of the Indian team for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The announcement has sparked a major discussion among cricket fans and analysts about the rationale behind this decision.
Reason for exclusion of Mohammed Siraj
During the press conference, which was also attended by the Indian captain Rohit SharmaAgarkar explained that the selectors had to make tough decisions based on team composition and strategy.
“But that’s just because we’ve thought about it. We’re not sure about (Jasprit) Bumrah (to be fit for the third ODI against England), whether he’ll play or not. We wanted to pick a team where we’d have options from both options, someone to play with the new ball and someone to bowl at the back.Obviously, with Bumrah gone, we’re not sure.
Agarkar stressed that Siraj’s effectiveness diminishes when he is not used as a new-ball bowler, which influenced his decision to select Arshdeep Singh instead.
“We wanted Arshdeep to come and play that bowling role at the back and (Mohammed) Shami, obviously we saw what he did with the new ball and that’s where we feel Siraj’s effectiveness drops a bit if he doesn’t go to take the new ball
“We talked about it at length and we’re only taking three seamers because we wanted all the all-rounders with us. It’s a shame it has to be lost, but we had no choice but to get the guys who can play a certain role. Personally, I think that we have guys who can play with the new ball and be effective in the middle and then effective at the back, so you have to cover all three facets of the game.” added the former Indian pacer.
India will play Pakistan on February 23
India will begin their campaign against the Champions Trophy Bangladesh on February 20, followed by a highly anticipated match against Pakistan on February 23. Siraj’s absence will put additional pressure on the selected pace attack, which includes Bumrah, Arshdeep and Mohammed Shami.
As India prepare for these crucial matches, all eyes will be on how the selected bowlers perform without one of their most effective pacers. The selectors’ strategy will be tested as they aim for success in one of cricket’s most prestigious tournaments.
