Mohammed Siraj Defends Rohit Sharma Over Controversial Champions Trophy Snub

Mohammed Siraj was not a part of India's title-winning Champions Trophy squad, despite ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah's absence.

Mohammed Siraj Defends Rohit Sharma Over Controversial Champions Trophy Snub

Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Siraj (via India TV News)

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The Indian fast bowling crop is a much talked about topic in world cricket in recent years. With the likes of Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah leading the list, Indian fast bowling has reached leaps and bounds. One such exciting product of this current fast bowling era of India is Mohammed Siraj.

The pacer from Hyderabad in his 4-year career so far has done enough damage on the international level and has also been ranked number one in ODI cricket. Although his best format by numbers is Test cricket. Despite such a promising resume Siraj was left out of the 2025 Champions Trophy by team India and it came as quite a shock to the fans who felt he had done enough to make it to the side.

More so, with Jasprit Bumrah being injured, many believed the right choice to accompany Shami was Siraj. However, the Indian management thought otherwise and went ahead. Despite the Champions Trophy snub, Siraj only had good words for then captain, Rohit Sharma.

Rohit bhai told me that most of the bowling would be done by spinners & he didn’t want me to go there & just sit on the bench – He told me to spend time with family, practise and work on my fitness.

Mohammed Siraj via Express Sport

The selection was purely based on conditions and not too much on performance. The team India played at the Champions Trophy backs the thoughts of Sharma. With the conditions in Dubai being slow and sticky, India resorted to even playing four spinners in a few matches.

Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy all made it to the XI. India could play a team with four spinners due to the remarkable batting abilities of both Jadeja and Patel which made sure the team was never short in batting.

No other team played so many spinners in the competition. India’s unorthodox strategy paid rich dividends. With consistent middle over chokes by the quartet of spinners, India steamrolled oppositions and eventually were crowned champions.

Mohammed Siraj relives dream morning at the Oval

Mohammed Siraj was the key architect of India’s hard fought series against England in English conditions. His relentless efforts with the ball were by far the greatest seen in a while by an Indian fast bowler. He bowled a total of 185.3 overs and picked up 23 wickets, the highest in the series.

There was no doubt his best morning was the final one at the Oval in the final test of the series. Remarkably all matches of the series went to the fifth day, but none as exciting as the last Test match. England needed just 35 runs and had 4 wickets in hand.

Mohammed Siraj said belief was the key to turn around match against England.
Sai Sudarshan, Dhruv Jurel and Mohammed Siraj (via NDTV Sports)

Siraj delivered one of the grittiest spells of all time to turn the match around and make India snatch victory from the jaws of defeat by just 6 runs. The pacer relived the morning in an interview with Express Sport.

It was a script written for me from somewhere up there. From getting bowled in Lords (the Test that India lost), then reaching Oval. Then I took a catch (of Harry Brook) and touched the boundary. Everything was written for me. It was a script from God. When I woke up on that final morning, they needed 35 runs. I told myself that this game wouldn’t go beyond an hour and that I will win this match.

Mohammed Siraj via Express Sports

The one thing that pushed Siraj on that fifth morning at the Oval was belief. He had seen his share of tough moments in the series and wasn’t ready to compromise on this occasion. He was out unluckily on the last day at Lord’s as the ball rolled back off the pitch on to the stumps.

India lost that match. He also gave Harry Brook a crucial reprieve in the fifth Test as he touched the fine leg boundary while taking the catch. Brook went on to make a 100. However, the pacer took things in his own hands and scripted a win to remember for the ages.

Siraj has been in top form when it comes to Test cricket, and his good run has continued against the West Indies as well who are currently touring India.

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