Mohammed Siraj, the fast bowler of the Indian team, grabbed the headlines after he was dropped from the squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, which is scheduled to be played in Pakistan and Dubai. Mohammed Siraj shared a cryptic post on his official Instagram profile, which caught the attention of fans.
The Indian squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy was revealed on 18 January. Although the core of the team remained the same as in the 2023 World Cup, Siraj’s omission attracted attention. Siraj has been a key figure in India’s ODI line-up in recent years, delivering several match-winning performances.
Mohammed Siraj shared a cryptic post on Instagram after being stripped of the champions trophy
Mohammed Siraj shared a post on social media after being dropped from the Indian squad for the Champions Trophy, sparking debates among cricket pundits. On Monday, January 20, the 30-year-old pacer posted a picture from the gym on his Instagram story with the caption “reset, restart, refocus.”
Check out the post below:
Mohammad Siraj’s Instagram story and he works hard at the gym.
– Come back strong, Miyan Magic..!!!! 💪 pic.twitter.com/BvNs06xRAt
— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) January 20, 2025
Siraj will also not be part of the ODI against England ahead of the Champions Trophy. He last played for India during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he took 20 wickets. He was the second highest wicket-taker for India in the series, behind Jasprit Bumrah (32), and fourth overall.
Mohammed Siraj played a key role in the World Cup – Sanjay Bangar
Sanjay Bangar, former assistant coach of Team India, shared his opinion on the exclusion of Mohammed Siraj from the Indian squad for the Champions Trophy. Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Bangar expressed confusion as to why Siraj was overlooked in favor of Harshit Rana, who is yet to play for India in ODIs.
“If you have to read between the lines, Harshit seems to have more confidence towards the last phase of the game ie bowling innings and has more resources. That’s what Rohit Sharma is trying to say,” Bangar stated.
“Mohammed Siraj played a key role in the World Cup in some games in the middle order. So I’m not sure about the reasons why Harshit Rana was picked or preferred ahead of Siraj. Siraj has shown over a period of time that he can be really good and always looks to take wickets and can win before reaching the final stage,” he added further.
Harshit Rana has been included as backup to Jasprit Bumrah
Harshit Rana has been included as back-up to Jasprit Bumrah in India’s ODI squad for the series against England. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said Bumrah’s inclusion depends on his fitness. Siraj was left out as India opted for Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh as the other pacers in the squad.
Siraj held the top spot in the ICC ODI rankings from 20 September to 14 November 2023. He has considerable experience playing in the UAE, where India’s matches will be held and Pakistan is the official host. He played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the UAE during the 2020 and 2021 IPL seasons.
