Former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has voiced his disappointment over the exclusion of Mohammed Siraj from India’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, questioning the selection strategy. Siraj, who has led India’s bowling attack in the absence of senior pacers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, was left out in favor of Arshdeep Singh. Despite having only eight ODI appearances to his name, Arshdeep was preferred for the tournament.

Sidhu highlighted the impressive depth of all-rounders in the squad, stating, “We have four outstanding all-rounders in Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar. This team is well-equipped to handle challenging situations. However, if I were selecting the team, I would opt for four seamers and three spinners. I would definitely include Mohammed Siraj in the squad.”

In an interview with Sports Tak, Sidhu pointed out that the selectors seem to have prioritised all-rounders in this selection.

Siraj’s omission comes as a surprise given his recent exploits in ODIs.The 29-year-old pacer has taken 71 wickets in just 44 matches, establishing himself as a key player in India’s bowling attack over the past three years. His career-best 6/21 against Sri Lanka in the 2023 Asia Cup final propelled India to a dominant win, and he followed it up with a 14 wickets in the 2023 ODI World Cup.

He also reflected on past team decisions, mentioning, “When India took four spinners to the West Indies last time, one of them, Yuzvendra Chahal, was left out and didn’t get a chance to play.”

Rohit Sharma also shared insights into the team’s selection process, stating, “Given the uncertainty around Jasprit Bumrah’s availability, we wanted someone who could effectively bowl with both the new and old ball. That’s why Arshdeep Singh was chosen, as he brings valuable skills for the death overs.”