Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik felt that Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj should’ve been included in the Champions Trophy 2025 squad.
Siraj has been a fixture for India across all formats over the last few years and had also featured in last year’s ODI series against Sri Lanka where he took three wickets at an average of 52.
India welcomed back Mohhamad Shami into the fold after a lay off over a year. The Bengal pacer was also included in the squad for the first two ODIs against England February 6 and February 9.
Jasprit Bumrah was also named in the 15-player squad despite his back injury he suffered in the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The lead pacer will have to go through fitness tests in order to be confirmed fit for the Champions Trophy. Delhi pacer Harshit Rana, who played in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, has been named as his stand by for the England series.
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India also have young left-arm Arshdeep Singh who was consistent with his performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy with 20 wickets from seven matches at an average of 18.
Karthik felt that Siraj must be disappointed with the exclusion having played regularly.
“I think it’s sad but fair. Who have they gone for? Bumrah, Shami, and Arshdeep, who has been phenomenal in white-ball cricket,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz (Via News18).
Karthik said that the snub can only act as motivation for Siraj who has played 44 ODIs for India and claimed 71 wickets at an average of 24.
“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,” Karthik said.
India will be playing all of their games in Dubai as they cited security reasons to not travelling to Pakistan who are hosting all the other games of Champions Trophy. India are Group A alongside New Zealand, Pakistan and Bangladesh. They will begin the tournament with the clash against Bangladesh on February 20
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