Former Indian batter and analyst Mohammad Kaif expressed disappointment at the Indian team management, headed by Gautam Gambhir, for not including Mohammed Siraj in the first ODI of the five-game series against New Zealand.
Interestingly, Shubman Gill went ahead with four pacers, Arshdeep Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi, and Gurnoor Brar, while spinners Axar Patel and Naman Dhir completed the bowling attack in the first ODI.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif asserted that he is a little unhappy that Siraj isn’t getting his chances despite being a proven bowler, adding that it’s not a good message if they have dropped him, considering Kamboj, Brar and Nabi can bat a bit.
“I am a little unhappy that Siraj is not getting chances. He is a proven bowler. Is the theory to try new bowlers for the next six months and look at the new lot? I don’t know. But Siraj not playing is beyond my understanding. It is not good if they have dropped Siraj, thinking Anshul, Gurnoor, and Nabi can bat a bit. This has become a trend now. That is why even Kuldeep is not playing,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif further suggested that concerns over a possible top-order or middle-order collapse could be prompting India to prioritise batting depth, which he believes may be the only reason behind Siraj’s exclusion.
“I think there is some fear that if there is a top-order collapse and Rohit and Kohli do not fire, which is why they are playing Anshul, Gurnoor, and Nabi for batting depth. I do not understand any other reason why Siraj is not playing. If he is in the squad, it means he is fit and available. I think batting is the only reason. But I feel they are setting a wrong trend. If these guys are proven bowlers, it raises questions about why they are not getting a chance, even in the absence of Bumrah and Hardik. Siraj and Kuldeep are facing issues due to not having batting skills,” he added.
