Just like speculations have grown over the presence of many international Indian players turning up to the Ranji Trophy in the next week, many wonder if Mohammad Siraj will be featuring for Hyderabad in the upcoming round of the ongoing edition of the tournament in 2024-25 for Hyderabad, who will be boosted by the experienced pacer’s presence.
Mohammad Siraj has been ignored by the Indian selectors in the upcoming five-match T20I series against England at home, alongside the three ODIs against the same opponent as the preparation of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, where the pacer hasn’t been included too.
Even as their premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, had clouds of injury and fear of getting ruled out of the eight-team tournament, the 30-year-old was snubbed as the replacement of the Ahmedabad-born in the bilateral series. The selection committee decided to go with Harshit Rana as the cover.
HCA has not confirmed Mohammad Siraj’s availability in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 vs Himachal Pradesh
Since the start of 22, Mohammad Siraj has enjoyed 71 wickets in 43 games. Even during the 2023 ODI World Cup at home, the pacer collected 14 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 33.50 and strike rate of 35.35 with an economy rate of nearly six thanks to the best bowling figure of 3/16 in an inning.
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In that year’s Asia Cup, he made a great contribution for the winning Indian side with 10 wickets in just four innings at an average of 12.20 and a strike rate of nearly 16 with an economy rate of 4.63, thanks to the best bowling figure of 6/21 in an inning, which came during the final of the event against Sri Lanka.
It has been reported that the team management of Hyderabad is yet to get an update on Mohammad Siraj’s availability for their next clash against Himachal Pradesh at home.
“We are yet to get an update. As of now, we haven’t heard anything from him from the HCA.” A member of the team management addressed this. The Times of India, as reported, reached out to the president of the Hyderabad Cricket Association, Jagan Mohan Rao, and the chairman of the senior selection committee, Harimohan Puruv, but didn’t get a response from either.
Mohammad Siraj had a decent time in the recently concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 down under, finishing as the fourth leading wicket-taker of the series with the help of 20 scalps in 10 innings at an average of 31.15 and a strike rate of 47.15 with the best bowling figure of 4/98 in an inning.
The national selectors and their captain Rohit Sharma went with the left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh, who has been in tremendous touch in the ongoing VHT 2024-25 in place of Siraj, as the Nagpur-born reckoned that unfortunate selection had been made for the Hyderabad pacer’s ineffectiveness with the old ball.
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“Mohammad Siraj’s effectiveness comes down a little bit if he’s not going to take the new ball. We discussed it at length, and we are only taking three seamers there (CT) because we wanted all the all-rounders with us.” Rohit expressed during the press conference in Mumbai while the squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 was named.
“It’s an unfortunate thing that he (Siraj) has to miss out, but we had no option but to get the guys who can perform a certain role.” He highlighted. “Arshdeep hasn’t played a lot of ODIs, but he’s been around the white-ball circuit for a long time. I don’t feel so uncomfortable saying that he’s not experienced.”