Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has called Mohammed Siraj one of the unluckiest players to miss India’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. De Villiers said that with Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh as frontline pacers, India opted for Harshit Rana to add depth with the bat, leaving Siraj out of the squad.
Siraj was not included in India’s squad for the ICC event, but he remains part of the ODI setup. The pacer has been named in India’s squad for the home ODI series against New Zealand later this month. Siraj has also shown decent form in domestic T20 cricket, taking seven wickets in four matches during the SMAT.
Mohammed Siraj One of the Unlucky Ones to Miss Out – AB de Villiers
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, AB de Villiers said Mohammed Siraj missed out on India’s T20 plans due to team balance rather than a lack of form. He added that the selectors focused on flexibility and all-round depth while finalizing the pace attack.
“We see Siraj in the ODI squad, he is one of the unlucky guys to miss out. But that is once again down to the balance,” de Villiers said. “You have got Bumrah and Arshdeep. Harshit can hold the bat as well. So there are your three seamers.”
Siraj was part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2024 but has played only three T20I matches since then and none in 2025. The pacer remained in good rhythm during the IPL 2025 season and delivered useful performances for Hyderabad in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Mohammed Siraj Is Only an Outright Bowler – AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers believes India’s T20 thinking has shifted away from relying heavily on fast bowlers. He stated that the team now prioritizes spin in the shortest format, and this approach worked against Mohammed Siraj, who is a specialist pacer, while Harshit Rana offered added flexibility.
“I think that is the reason why you went for Harshit because Siraj is only an outright bowler and they do not want to focus too much on seam bowling,” de Villiers stated.
“The focus is on the spinners. If they get wickets with the seamers upfront, they almost see it as a bonus in a way. So Siraj is unlucky but at least he is in the ODI plans moving forward for the 2027 World Cup,” he added.
The Problem With Harshit Rana With the New Ball – AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers stated that Harshit Rana is inexperienced with the new ball, but India have enough depth to manage that risk. He added that Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh can handle the key early overs, while Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube can share the remaining workload.
“The problem with Harshit Rana with the new ball is that he doesn’t have a lot of experience at the international level. But if he can give you a few overs with Bumrah and Arshdeep, there’s enough overs and then Shivam and Hardik can fill up. They also cover all bases with spin and that’s where they will focus on trying to win games,” he said.
India have opted for a balanced bowling setup for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The fast-bowling unit is led by Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana, with additional support from all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube.
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