Controversy Over Siraj's Role in Indian Cricket

Former India batter Aakash Chopra has voiced strong concerns regarding the way Mohammed Siraj has been utilized and perceived within the national team setup. Chopra believes that Siraj was unfairly tagged as a specialist for only one format early in his international career, despite demonstrating the skill set required to be effective across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.

"Prematurely Decided"

Speaking in a video shared on X, Chopra argued that the perception surrounding the Hyderabad pacer was formed too quickly. He highlighted the contradiction in how Siraj was treated, noting that while he was a mainstay in the Test side, he was suddenly sidelined from limited-overs cricket.

"Bahut jaldi humne unko one-format player bana ke choad diya (We made him a one-format player very soon). It was prematurely decided that he could not bowl with the older ball and should be dropped," Chopra stated.

Chopra further questioned the lack of consistency in selection, pointing out that Siraj shouldered significant responsibilities in the Test arena while being ignored for white-ball duties. "There was a period when I genuinely felt that it was not right. You played him in all Tests, where everyone needs workload management, but didn't think about him. Then, suddenly one day, you said he was no longer part of the ODI team, and then he was removed from T20Is as well; that was not right," he added.

Impact on Major Tournaments

The former opener was particularly critical of the decision to omit Siraj from India's squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy. While he admitted that T20I selections can be debatable, he insisted that Siraj's credentials for the ODI format were undeniable.

"He was not in the Champions Trophy team. I thought that was incorrect. His name should have been there. Maybe you can still understand for T20Is, but his name should be there in ODIs," Chopra emphasized.

The Path Back

Despite these setbacks, Siraj's performances in franchise cricket for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans helped him force his way back into the white-ball plans. His inclusion in the 2026 T20 World Cup squad saw him make an immediate impact, picking up three wickets in his first match and reaffirming his value to the team.

Though Siraj was recently rested for the ODI series against Afghanistan—with Prasidh Krishna stepping in as his replacement—Chopra's comments serve as a reminder that the pacer remains a versatile asset who deserves greater recognition beyond the Test arena.