Former South African great AB de Villiers has publicly sympathized with Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj following his surprising absence from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad. De Villiers described Siraj’s omission as “unlucky,” noting that the pacer has long been a consistent and hardworking performer for India with the ball.
Although Siraj’s last T20 International appearance came against Sri Lanka in mid-2024, his exclusion still struck many as unexpected given his capabilities.
De Villiers shared these thoughts on his YouTube channel, where he also acknowledged that Siraj remains part of India’s plans in other formats, especially in ODIs with an eye towards the 2027 Cricket World Cup.
According to De Villiers, the primary reason for Siraj missing out was team balance rather than a lack of talent. India’s management opted for three seamers — Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana — with Harshit providing some batting depth in addition to his bowling.
De Villiers suggested that this combination offered more utility for a balanced T20 squad, even though it left out Siraj, whose value lies mainly in his bowling expertise.
Insight into India’s Bowling Strategy
De Villiers offered a deeper look into India’s pace bowling composition for the upcoming T20 World Cup. He highlighted that while Harshit Rana may lack extensive international experience, especially with the new ball, his inclusion alongside Bumrah and Arshdeep creates a viable pace trio.
Beyond these frontline pacers, De Villiers emphasized the role of all-rounders like Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya, whose ability to contribute with both bat and ball adds flexibility to India’s bowling resources.
He also remarked on how India’s bowling strategy seems to hinge on spin as a core component, which likely influenced the selectors’ decision to rely less on specialist seamers. According to De Villiers, if India’s spinners can exert pressure and take wickets in the middle overs, any early breakthroughs from the pacers become an added bonus — a tactical approach that he feels gives the team a competitive edge.
Siraj’s Ongoing Cricket Journey
Despite missing out on the T20 World Cup squad, De Villiers stressed that Siraj’s international career isn’t over, particularly in the ODI format. The former batter believes Siraj still has meaningful opportunities ahead, including being considered for the 2027 ODI World Cup, where his bowling skills could be crucial.
Siraj has been actively playing domestic cricket; for instance, he recently appeared in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, performing well and reinforcing his reputation as a capable T20 bowler.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
