Why Did BCCI Drop Mohammed Siraj From India ODI Squad Vs England?

Mohammed Siraj was ignored by BCCI for IND Vs ENG series [Source: AFP]

The Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selection committee announced the India ODI squad Vs England on Sunday, June 21. 

While Virat Kohli walked back into the team after missing the Afghanistan series, several marquee players, including Mohammed Siraj and Yashasvi Jaiswal missed out on selection. 

The absence of Yashasvi Jaiswal in the India ODI squad vs England raised a million eyeballs, as fans questioned the southpaw's omission right after a sublime century against Afghanistan in Chennai. 

On the other hand, Mohammed Siraj was one of the most notable absentees, as the BCCI excluded him from the 15-member squad that will travel to England for three ODIs. 

3 Reasons why BCCI dropped Mohammed Siraj from India ODI Squad Vs England

Poor recent form in ODIs

(Mohammed Siraj's dip in bowling form)

There was a time when Mohammed Siraj used to lead India's pace attack with Jasprit Bumrah in ODIs. 

He was clinical with the ball in 2022 and 2023, powering the Indian team to many memorable wins, including a historic Asia Cup final triumph in Sri Lanka. 

However, Mohammed Siraj's bowling form dipped from 2024 onwards, as he eventually became a non-regular in India's ODI lineup. 

Statistically, Siraj has managed only eight wickets across nine matches in ODIs since 2024, making his case tough for a grand comeback to the Indian ODI team. 

Thus, Siraj's torrid run is one of the major factors behind his exclusion from the India ODI squad vs England. 

Emergence of Gurnoor Brar, Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh

While Mohammed Siraj sustained a slump in his bowling form, his downfall coincided with the rise of Gurnoor Brar, Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. 

Siraj was earlier dropped from India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad. India's then-captain Rohit Sharma had revealed that the Hyderabad pacer was sidelined from the team, as the Men in Blue prioritised multi-phase bowling options like Harshit Rana for the showpiece event. 

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Rana played a pivotal role in the Champions Trophy and cemented his place in the ODI team due to his multi-dimensional abilities. 

Arshdeep Singh retained his spot in the India ODI squad vs England for bringing variety as a left-arm swing bowler. 

Gurnoor Brar announced himself with phenomenal spells against Afghanistan, becoming only the second Indian bowler after Piyush Chawla to register three-wicket hauls in his first two ODI outings. 

Being tall bowlers who can hit the deck hard and generate extra bounce, Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna are currently ahead of Siraj in the pecking order for the 2027 World Cup.

The BCCI understands that Gurnoor and Prasidh can be more valuable assets for India than Siraj in South Africa, where the 2027 World Cup will be held. 

Thus, the emergence of bowlers like Gurnoor, Harshit and Arshdeep has more or less shut the door for Mohammed Siraj in ODIs. 

Horses for courses approach

With Jasprit Bumrah missing multiple matches due to fitness setbacks, Mohammed Siraj has been India's most dependable workhorse in Test cricket. 

Since January 2025, Siraj has delivered the most overs (324.3) for India in Tests. He has bowled approximately 16 overs on average per innings in this period. 

These numbers signify how effectively the Hyderabad pacer has spearheaded India's bowling attack in Jasprit Bumrah's absence in the longest format. 

Therefore, the BCCI has adopted a 'horses for courses' approach regarding Siraj, restricting him to Tests, with young guns like Arshdeep, Harshit, Prasidh and Gurnoor set to assist Bumrah in ODI cricket. 

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