Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has questioned management's decision to exclude Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj from India's ODI squad. Chopra described the decision as baffling, saying he cannot believe Siraj has become a one-format player. Chopra's comments come in the wake of India's failure to defend 358 against South Africa in the second ODI on Wednesday in Raipur.
Despite centuries from Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad to power India to a monumental total, Indian bowlers failed in their efforts to defend the total, crumbling against South Africa's terrific batting performance. Chopra pointed out that Siraj is widely regarded as a leading red-ball bowler with 139 wickets in 45 Tests but argued that his white-ball record merits inclusion too. In ODIs, Siraj has claimed 73 wickets in 47 matches.
“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 X.
“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 (ODIs)."
“Then suddenly his name 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?” he said.
The ongoing three-match ODI series between India and South Africa is currently levelled 1-1, and the third match will be played on Saturday in Visakhapatnam.