Uncertainty over Bumrah & Shami means Siraj needs to be in India’s Champions Trophy XI, no different again up is sensible

Despite being one of India’s go-to white-ball bowlers in the past, Mohammed Siraj has been left out of the Champions Trophy squad. While the explanation given was that someone else could do a better job than him with the new ball, there is no one who is as experienced as the Hyderabad pacer in the limited overs format. Given that there is an uncertainty over Bumrah and Shami for CT 2025 owing to their fitness, Siraj could be the perfect option to spearhead India’s pace attack.

Why Siraj is needed for Champions Trophy

Despite his prowess in ODIs, Siraj was left out of India’s squad for ICC Champions Trophy and the IND vs ENG ODI series. The pacer has 71 wickets from 44 ODIs and averages 24.04. The very fact that Siraj is being considered as a back-up option is very concerning. India skipper Rohit Sharma had attempted to explain Siraj’s exclusion from the squad, citing his ability to bowl with the new ball.

“It is only Siraj who is not there. We were not sure if Bumrah could play. We wanted someone who could bowl with the new ball. We wanted Arshdeep to do that role. But Siraj’s effectiveness comes down with the new ball. It is unfortunate that he misses out but we wanted guys who can perform certain roles,” Rohit had said.

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However, it is pertinent to note that Siraj was the second most over-worked Indian bowler in the previous calendar year. However, given the uncertainty over Bumrah and Shami, it is imperative for Siraj to be included in the side.

Bumrah is still not confirmed to be a part of India’s side in CT 2025. He has reached Bengaluru for further scans only on Monday, 16 days before the start of Champions Trophy. He has a swelling on his back which he developed during the IND vs AUS Test series. Shami, on the other hand, has played just 2 T20Is in the last 14 months after being on the sidelines since the ODI World Cup final in 2023. While both these pacers have been included in the squad for CT 2025, there still remains uncertainty over their fitness and participation. And here’s where Siraj could fit in well as the perfect replacement.