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Siraj Benched: What's the Mystery Behind His Absence from Team India's Playing XI?
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News18•01-10-2026, 06:01
Siraj Benched: What's the Mystery Behind His Absence from Team India's Playing XI?
- •Mohammed Siraj, despite being part of Team India, is consistently benched, raising questions about the team's strategy.
- •In both Thiruvananthapuram and Guwahati, Siraj was kept out of the playing XI, while other fast bowlers proved expensive.
- •West Indies scored 405 runs in Guwahati, with Siraj watching the massacre from the dugout.
- •Concerns are being raised about Siraj's fitness and the reasons for his exclusion, if he is indeed fit.
- •An interview given by Siraj during the Sri Lanka tour, where he mentioned not putting full effort into bowling, is also being cited as a potential reason for the management's displeasure.
Key Questions Answered
Mohammed Siraj was benched and did not play in the ODI matches, with experts speculating that the team management might be benching him to teach him a lesson following comments he made in Sri Lanka.
Following a Galle Test victory in Sri Lanka, Siraj remarked that he was not putting much effort into his bowling after looking at the pitch. Additionally, he bowled at a slower pace of 125 km/h in Colombo, which reportedly displeased the team management.
In Siraj's absence, the Indian fast bowling struggled significantly, conceding 296 runs in the first ODI and a heavy 405 runs to the Caribbean team during the match in Guwahati.
