'Sad But Fair': Dinesh Karthik On Mohammed Siraj's Exclusion From India's Champions Trophy Squad
Mohammed Siraj has 71 wickets to his name in 44 ODIs played so far, but despite that, he was not considered by selectors for a place in India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad.
Star Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj was ignored by BCCI selectors for a place in India’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad. The 30-year-old fast bowler from Hyderabad has 71 wickets to his name in 44 ODIs played so far. He was on fire for India in 2023 and also reached the No. 1 position in the ICC ODI bowler’s ranking. But despite his super show, Siraj was not considered for a place in Team India. Siraj’s omission from the Champions Trophy squad came as a surprise for many fans and former greats of the game, but according to former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik, it was a fair call by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee.
While speaking on Cricbuzz’s HeyCBwithDK show when asked about Siraj’s exclusion from the Champions Trophy 2025, Karthik said, “I think it’s sad but fair. Who have they gone for? Bumrah, Shami, and Arshdeep, who has been phenomenal in white-ball cricket. But what would hurt him, I feel, is the fact that Harshit Rana has been picked ahead of him in the first couple of matches in the bilateral against England. Now, this is where Siraj will look and say, Look, I think I deserve better than that, and I am going to do better than that because he has got the skills. But for the moment, for the Champions Trophy, I think it’s a fair decision on Ajit Agarkar and Rohit Sharma’s part."
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India will play a three-match ODI series at home against England in February before flying to Dubai to take part in ICC Champions Trophy 2025 matches. Jasprit Bumrah will miss the first two matches of the bilateral series at home due to fitness-related issues, and in his place Harshit Rana was added to India’s squad.
Harshit, who made his international debut for India on November 22, 2024, during the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth, is yet to play a white-ball match for the Men in Blue. He is part of India’s T20I squad as well for the ongoing five-match series.
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