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All terrain forms Irfan Pathan feels that India will feel the absence of Mohammed Siraj in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Pathan believes that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami are returning to international cricket and it will not be easy for them to hit the stripes straight away.
Mohammed Siraj was recently dropped from India’s squad for the Champions Trophy as the selectors decided to go with the left-arm seamer. Arshdeep Singh for his deadly bowling skills.
When Indian captain Rohit Sharma was asked about Siraj’s absence from the ODI squad against England and the Champions Trophy, he clearly stated that the team does not see Siraj as an effective bowler with the old ball
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Irfan Pathan on Mohammed Siraj’s absence from the Champions Trophy
When Irfan Pathan was asked about India’s Champions Trophy squad, he lamented the absence of Mohammed Siraj. Pathan believes India have selected too many spinners for the conditions in Dubai.
The former India cricketer believes that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami are coming back from injuries and may find it difficult to hit the stripes straight away despite being world-class bowlers. According to Pathan, Siraj could have played an important role in this aspect.
“You need backup pace. Siraj could have been a good option. In Dubai, playing four spinners is not viable. With (Jasprit) Bumrah and (Mohammed) Shami coming back from injuries, it won’t be easy for them right away,” he Pathan told The Indian Express.
“A pacer like (Mohammed) Siraj would have filled that gap. Having said that, we hope the selectors’ choices work well, and we should support them,” he added.
India have selected four spinners for Champions Trophy 2025, three of them are the bowling all-rounders. Kuldeep Yadav is the team’s lone specialist spinner and he too is making a comeback from injury. The three spin bowlers are Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Pateland Washington Sundar.
Mohammed Siraj in BGT 2024-25
Mohammed Siraj played in all five Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but did not have a big one series with the ball The fast bowler picked up 20 wickets in the series at an average of 31.15. However, he was inconsistent and couldn’t find his rhythm.
Siraj was also part of India’s 2023 ODI World Cup squad, where the team finished as runners-up. The 30-year-old picked up 14 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 33.50. He was also part of the India team that won the 2024 T20 World Cup title.
Irfan Pathan on Mohammed Shami’s absence in 1st T20I vs England
When asked about Mohammed Shami’s absence in the first T20I against England, Irfan Pathan replied that Shami knows his body better than anyone. According to him, the decision to rest Shami would have been taken after communication between the fast bowler and the team management.
“(Mohammed) Shami always provides honest feedback to the team management and decisions are made through mutual communication. Recovery at the highest level takes time, especially after playing consistently. I think he and the management of the team will make the right call at the right time,” observed Pathan.
Mohammed Shami was expected to make an international comeback in the first T20I against England in Kolkata. However, India played three spinners with Arshdeep Singh as the only specialist pacer. The reason for Shami’s absence is still unclear, but it may be due to the team combination.
