‘Rohit Sharma didn’t want me…’: Mohammed Siraj’s colossal revelation on CT 2025 snub

Star India National Cricket Team fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has finally opened up on his snub from the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which was played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pakistan.

Mohammed Siraj revealed a conversation with Rohit Sharma and stated that the need for extra spinners in Dubai led to his exclusion, and he was told to spend time with his family.

He told me to spend time with family - Mohammed Siraj

The BCCI selection committee picked three specialist pacers in the India squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana.

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There was no place for the premier pacer Mohammed Siraj in the setup despite his good performances in the format. India followed a spin-heavy strategy in the competition as five spinners - Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Varun Chakravarthy - were part of the squad.

All the moves made by the selection committee and the team management paid off as India managed to lift the trophy by beating New Zealand in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Speaking at the Indian Express' Idea Exchange, Mohammed Siraj was asked about his ICC Champions Trophy and Asia Cup 2025 snub and whether he is being looked at as a Test specialist.

Responding to this, Siraj said that he is absolutely ready to play all three formats for India, and his absence from the ICC Champions Trophy and Asia Cup was due to conditions and workload management. He said:

"I’m 200 per cent confident of doing well in all three formats when given a chance. We played the Champions Trophy in Dubai, there was heat, and we needed more spinners there, that’s why I wasn’t picked. Rohit (Sharma) bhai told me that most of the bowling would be done by spinners and he didn’t want me to go there and just sit on the bench.

"He told me to spend time with family, practise, and work on my fitness. The Asia Cup was right after we had returned from the five Tests in England, so it was an opportunity to rest a bit."

Yes, 100 per cent I felt the pressure - Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj further admitted that he felt the pressure of watching the India vs Pakistan matches in the Asia Cup 2025 due to all the controversies surrounding it. He said:

"Yes, 100 per cent I felt the pressure (of watching India vs Pakistan). When you are representing the country, the match gets over and you return to the dressing room, you can’t even celebrate the win… There is a lot of pressure, but you have to follow the government rules."

Also Read: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma dragged back to domestic cricket by ex-India sta

I just don’t like attitude and arrogance - Mohammed Siraj

During the same chat, Mohammed Siraj stated that he has not let the fame affect him, and he tries to remain humble and down-to-earth. He stated:

"Keeping in mind where I come from and where I have reached, I just don’t like attitude and arrogance. I make an effort to stay down-to-earth. I have the same set of friends that I used to have back in the day.

"I still hang around with them. It’s not that now I have become an India player, so I would make new friends and will move around in a Range Rover with them. I do have a Range Rover and I drive around, but I still go to places where I played tennis ball cricket with my old friends as a child."

Siraj will be next seen in action during the India tour of Australia 2025 as he has been picked in the ODI squad.