Former Indian wicket-keeper bat Dinesh Karthik believes Mohammed Siraj has been left out of the fourth ODI against New Zealand due to multiple reasons. Karthik highlighted that rookie pacers Auqib Nabi Dar and Gurnoor Brar have bowled well in the ODI series and thus the team management has decided to retain them in the side.
The former gloveman noted that Siraj is definitely slipping in the pecking order for the ODI World Cup. After Anshul Kamboj was released from the ODI squad to start preparations for the Test series, India added Kuldeep Yadav to the final XI.
Siraj was also left out of the first two ODIs against the Kiwis despite being the senior bowler in the squad.
“The sad part of that XI is Mohammed Siraj. I think he has not made the cut purely because of two things: How well Arshdeep and Gurnoor have bowled, and India do want to bat till No.8. I think they feel Aaqib Nabi is someone who can give them something with the bat at No.8 and hence he makes the cut. At this point of time, he is not on the top of the pile for the 2027 World Cup. I think there are a couple of bowlers who are ahead of him. This is from the Indian team’s perspective, personally it’s different,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
On the other hand, former Indian spinner Murali Kartik expressed his disappointment after Siraj was left out of the playing XI.
“I don’t understand it, but it is how the team sees him. We can sit here and feel for him. I don’t know whether he was at his best in the hot and humid conditions in Sri Lanka, but post that, he has not been needed in the playing XI. I hope Siraj gets a gig because he is a whole-hearted cricketer,” Murali Kartik said.
Karthik highlighted it was an interesting move to bring in Kuldeep Yadav in the fourth ODI.
“It is a very interesting move to bring Kuldeep, which tells you that the pitch is definitely a lot flatter than what we have seen in the last two games. Kuldeep has been part of the side, but just has not been able to make it to the XI. The fact that he has made the playing XI for this game means that they are expecting this pitch to turn a little bit,” Dinesh Karthik said.
Yadav has been expensive in the penultimate game, as he has conceded 63 runs in the six overs he has bowled so far.
