Mohammed Siraj Responds Fiercely to Rohit Sharma’s 'Old Ball' Justification for Champions Trophy Omission

Mohammed Siraj's exclusion from India's ICC Champions Trophy 2025 team surprised fans and cricket pundits alike. Considering his steady performances in all formats of cricket over the past few years, his exclusion came as a surprise, particularly considering that Jasprit Bumrah was not available due to injury. The selection panel chose young quick bowlers such as Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, a move that was met with skepticism.

In explaining Siraj's omission, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma mentioned the pacer's perceived lack of effectiveness with the old ball as a major reason. That reason did not find favor with the fast bowler, who has since emerged to reply to Rohit's assertions and quoted statistics to justify himself.

Siraj's Reply-Let the Numbers Speak

Discussing the matter in a pre-IPL 2025 press conference, Siraj emphatically rejected suggestions of his inefficiency with the old ball. He supported himself with statistics, saying:

I have picked the most wickets with the old ball among the world's fastest bowlers in the last one year. My economy rate has been low, and the stats are there for all to see. I have consistently performed with both the new and old ball.

Siraj's reply is significant in reflecting his opinion that performance figures should be the final arbiter and not personal opinions. He has been a key part of the Indian bowling line-up and his skill of swinging the ball late, even in adverse conditions, has made him an effective member of the team.

Rohit Sharma's Rationale behind Excluding Siraj

When the Champions Trophy team was announced, Rohit Sharma revealed the thinking behind the selection. He admitted that omitting a bowler of the quality of Siraj was not simple but stated that the side needed seamers who could fill particular niches in the tournament.

"Siraj's performance is less if he doesn't get the new ball. We thought a lot about this, and since we have three specialist seamers, we had to select players who could fit into different situations," Rohit said.

He also noted that the team was looking at selecting all-rounders in order to have depth in batting as well as in bowling.

"It was unfortunate to omit Siraj, but we had to make some difficult choices considering the balance of the team," Rohit added.

Even after missing out on the Champions Trophy, Siraj is not bemoaning the loss. Rather, he is focusing on future prospects, especially India's tour of England and the Asia Cup. He underscored his resolve to continue enhancing his performance and keeping eyes fixed on the IPL 2025 season, for which he will play for Gujarat Titans.

"Choice is not something that is in my control. What I can do is perform. My intention is to continue performing well and giving good performances in the IPL so that Gujarat Titans can retain their title."

Siraj's mature response is an indication of his commitment to letting go of disappointments and go on proving himself with his on-field performances. His focus on sticking to his guns and not creating unnecessary pressure is an indicator of his increased confidence as an international cricketer.

The selectors' move to pick Harshit Rana ahead of Siraj turned out to be fruitful as India won the Champions Trophy crown. Rana made timely contributions during the tournament, vindicating the trust the team management had in him. But the controversy surrounding the exclusion of Siraj still resonates, with most feeling that his experience and pressure-performance ability would have further consolidated the team.

Though the setback, Siraj is an integral part of India's pace attack. His capability of bowling accurately across formats, along with his work ethic, means he will be in the running for upcoming tournaments. His performances in the coming IPL and international duty will probably decide how much of a place he will have in India's team for future international tournaments.

The Champions Trophy exclusion could have been an acrimonious pill to swallow, but Siraj has shown that he is willing to allow his performances to speak louder. With bigger events looming large, his desperation to succeed may result in him returning even more invigorated and presenting a strong case for inclusion in India's plans ahead.