Ravi Shastri talks about Mohammad Siraj’s exclusion from Champions Trophy 2025

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri said he feels glad that Mohammed Siraj took the snub from India’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad to heart.

Shastri also praised Siraj for the way he has bounced back while playing for Gujarat Titans (GT) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Furthermore, he believes England’s batters will face major challenges if Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami stay fully fit for the upcoming Test series.

“I think with Siraj, Jasprit and Mohammed Shami, these three, if they are fully fit, will give England heaps of problems. It’s a quality, top-class pace attack when you get these three fit,” Shastri said during the ICC Review.

Furthermore, Shastri emphasized Siraj’s response to adversity.

“And what I like about Siraj — I’m glad he was hurt after being left out of the Champions Trophy squad. That’s exactly the attitude you want. For him to go back to the drawing board and return with renewed energy, as he has shown, is brilliant. There’s a spring in his stride, the pace is up there, and he means business game after game,” he added.

Siraj’s debut season for Titans so far

Meanwhile, Siraj, who was picked by GT for a whopping Rs 12.25 crore, has been one of their key performers. So far, he has claimed 12 wickets from eight games at an average of 23.58. Additionally, his economy rate stands at 8.84 runs per over. Consequently, he is emerging as a serious contender for the Purple Cap this season.

Siraj’s red-ball numbers in England

Looking at his Test record, Siraj has had a decent run in England. Across six Tests, he has taken 23 wickets at an average of 34. Nevertheless, he is yet to secure a five-wicket haul on English soil. However, considering his growing experience, he could prove to be a crucial asset during the challenging tour.

Shastri cautions team management over Bumrah

On the other hand, Shastri urged the Indian team management to exercise caution with Jasprit Bumrah. While it might be tempting to play him in every Test, Shastri stressed the importance of workload management to prevent another injury setback.

“I would be very, very careful [with Bumrah]. I would ideally give him two Test matches at a time and then wait for the break. Although you might be tempted to make him play five if he starts off strongly, it all depends on how his body reacts. He should have the first say — if he feels even a slight niggle, the management must allow him to rest,” said Shastri.

Importantly, Bumrah has already made a successful comeback from a lower back injury, which he had suffered during the Sydney Test. Since then, he has played five matches for Mumbai Indians (MI) this IPL season, where he has been economical and picked up five wickets.

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