‘Why is Siraj a one-format player now?’ – Aakash Chopra criticises India’s selection policy

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has questioned the selectors’ decision to leave out Mohammed Siraj from India’s white-ball squads. Chopra pointed out that Siraj is gradually being treated as a one-format player, primarily for Tests, despite having proved his ability across formats. He added that the pacer seems to have been sidelined in limited-overs cricket without a convincing explanation.

Siraj has been a key component of India’s red-ball attack, but his appearances in ODIs and T20Is have noticeably reduced. He was included in the ODI series against Australia, where, although he did not pick many wickets, he delivered disciplined spells and maintained an excellent economy rate. Chopra highlighted that performances like these reaffirm Siraj’s capability and value in white-ball cricket as well.

“You keep wondering why we don’t see Mohammed Siraj in the ODI setup. Not in ODIs or T20Is. They’ve made him pack his bags and made him only a one-format player. Why are we doing this? I don’t know, and I am a little surprised,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

Chopra’s remarks reflect a growing sentiment among fans who believe India may be underutilising one of its most versatile seamers. Siraj’s ability to swing the new ball, extract bounce, and bowl with sustained aggression in the middle overs once made him a vital option in limited-overs cricket. His sensational performance in the Asia Cup 2023 final, where he dismantled Sri Lanka with a seven-wicket masterclass, remains one of the most dominant ODI spells in recent memory.

Despite these credentials, the Indian selectors have recently prioritised rotating their pace attack, often resting senior bowlers like Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah to provide opportunities to emerging quicks such as Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna. While exposing young bowlers to international cricket is important, the Indian attack has similarly struggled to cope with challenging, dew-heavy conditions at home.

Chopra argued that a bowler of Siraj’s calibre should not be restricted to a single format without clear communication or reasoning. With India approaching a packed cricket calendar that includes major ICC tournaments, his comments are likely to reignite debate over how the team management should handle its fast-bowling resources, and whether Siraj merits a more consistent role across formats.