Mohammed Siraj’s exclusion from India’s 15-man Champions Trophy squad has raised eyebrows, with the selectors opting for left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh to complete the pace trio alongside Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.
Shami, making a return to the ODI setup, and Bumrah, whose fitness remains under scrutiny, were joined by Arshdeep, chosen for the variety and death-over control his left-arm seam offers.
India’s captain Rohit Sharma, who will lead the side with Shubman Gill as his deputy, addressed the decision during a press conference.
“We are not sure about Bumrah, whether he is going to play or not. So, we thought we wanted someone who can bowl with the new ball and at the backend. So, we picked Arshdeep to bowl at the backend. Shami, we all saw what he can do with the new ball,” Rohit explained.
The decision to overlook Siraj, despite his strong performances, came down to his role-specific effectiveness, according to Rohit.
“Siraj, his effectiveness comes down when he is not bowling with the new ball. It's an unfortunate thing that he has to miss out. But, we had no option but to get the guys who can perform a certain role. I personally feel we have guys who can bowl with the new ball, bowl in the middle, and bowl at the backend. With these three bowlers, we think we can do that,” the captain elaborated.
Rohit further defended Arshdeep’s selection, pointing to his experience in high-pressure situations in T20Is and his potential to deliver in ODIs.
“Arshdeep hasn’t played a lot of ODIs, but he has been in the white-ball set-up for a long time. I don’t think I feel comfortable saying he is not experienced. He has played T20Is and bowled under pressure.”
With Bumrah’s fitness uncertain, India has opted for bowlers who bring specific skills to the table, with Arshdeep’s ability to bowl at the death being a critical factor.
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