Mohammed Siraj Archives

India announce Harshit Rana replacement in World Cup squad

MUMBAI: India have replaced injured bowler Harshit Rana with pacer Mohammed Siraj in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad.

Harshit, 24, suffered a knee injury during the reigning champions’ warm-up fixture against South Africa on Wednesday, which eventually ruled him out of the World Cup.

“Team India pacer Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after sustaining a knee injury during the warm-up match against South Africa in Navi Mumbai on February 4th 2026,” the BCCI said in a statement.

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“Following consultations with a specialist and subsequent scans, the BCCI medical team deemed him unfit to participate in the tournament. The team management wishes him a speedy recovery,” it added.

As a result, pacer Mohammed Siraj was named in the squad for the mega event, scheduled to run from February 7 to March 8.

The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has approved Mohammad Siraj as a replacement for Harshit Rana in the India squad.

A player can only be replaced after obtaining approval from the Event Technical Committee (ETC), which must approve the new player before they are officially added to the squad.

India’s updated T20 World Cup squad:

Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vc), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar and Mohammed Siraj.

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Siraj’s four-fer helps India dominate West Indies in Ahmedabad Test

AHMEDABAD: Red-hot Mohammed Siraj returned figures of 4-40 as hosts dismissed the visitors for 162 and then turned the screw with the bat on day one of the first India vs West Indies Test on Thursday.

The hosts were 121-2 at stumps with KL Rahul unbeaten on 53 in front of a sparse crowd at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Rahul reached his 20th Test fifty and stood firm along with skipper Shubman Gill, on 18, at the close of play.

A depleted West Indies won the toss, but the Indian attack struck regular blows to bowl out the visitors in 44.1 overs in the second session.

Mohammed Siraj drew first blood with the wicket of Tagenarine Chanderpaul for a duck and extended his tally of Test wickets to 27 this year, having played a key role in India’s 2-2 draw in England.

After an initial first spell of 3-19 in seven overs, Siraj returned in the second session to get one more wicket and was ably supported by fellow quick Jasprit Bumrah.

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Number seven Justin Greaves top-scored for the West Indies with 32 before being bowled by Bumrah, who took three wickets.

Skipper Roston Chase (24) and Shai Hope attempted to revive the innings after the West Indies slipped to 42-4 in the first hour of play.

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav bowled Hope for 26 to end the 48-run fifth-wicket stand at the stroke of lunch.

Kuldeep got his second to send back Jomel Warrican for eight and wrap up the innings. Early tea was called.

India are strongly tipped to sweep the two-match series.

The Indian openers started the reply cautiously before Rahul and the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal got going in a session interrupted by a brief spell of rain.

West Indies pace spearhead Jayden Seales had Jaiswal caught behind for 36 and Chase trapped Sai Sudharsan lbw for seven with his off-spin.

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Jayden Seales named in nominee’s for ICC Men’s Player of the Month

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for August 2025, including West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales.

Along with Seales, New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry and India’s pacer Mohammed Siraj have also been shortlisted due to their stellar performances.

Jayden Seales was pivotal in the West Indies’ success over Pakistan in the ODI series.

Last month, the West Indies defeated Pakistan for the first time in 34 years in an ODI series. Seales showcased his dominance throughout the series, picking up 10 wickets in three matches at a mouth-watering average of 10.

He did not have the best of an outing in the first ODI, with one wicket to his name. However, he made a comeback in the second ODI, picking up three wickets. His best came in the series decider, where he tore through the Pakistan batting line-up.

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He recorded career-best figures of 6-18, which were also the third best by a West Indies bowler in ODI history.

The second on the list, Mohammed Siraj, was named in the list due to his outstanding performance in the final Test against England, which helped India level the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

The right-arm pacer remained pivotal throughout the series, particularly in the fifth Test at the Oval, where he scalped nine wickets.

Meanwhile, the third on the list, Matt Henry, was lethal with the ball against Zimbabwe in the Test series, which New Zealand won 2-0. The 33-year-old pacer took 16 wickets in two matches at a stellar average of just 9.12.

Henry rattled Zimbabwe’s batting lineup with a six-wicket haul in the first innings, followed by another three wickets in the second innings to bag the Player of the Match award.

He did not stop there and continued his excellent bowling form in the second Test, bagging another five-wicket haul and picking up two wickets in the second innings to give Black Caps a massive victory of an innings and 359 runs.

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Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj likely to miss out on Asia Cup selection: report

The ace performers of the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj, are unlikely to be included in the India squad for the Asia Cup 2025, which is set to commence next month.

According to a report by Cricbuzz, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to leave out the duo amid multiple options in the fray.

The selectors are likely to go with Yashasvi Jaiswal as a backup opener for the marquee event.

Shubman Gill, the skipper of India in the longest format of the game, may find it difficult despite showing a rich vein of form, having amassed 754 runs in the five-match Test series, the report states.

Notably, Gill also had a stellar Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, scoring 650 runs as an opener. However, the selectors are keen to go with the current pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.

According to the report, the other options in the squad are Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Rinku Singh, with one more vacant slot to be filled, while Jitesh Sharma is likely to be added as a backup wicketkeeper.

Notably, Mohammed Siraj is also not in the plans for the India squad for the Asia Cup 2025, following reports that ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has shown his availability for the tournament.

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The selectors are likely to meet and announce the squad for the Asia Cup 2025 on August 19.

For the unversed, the Asia Cup will get underway on September 9 with Afghanistan taking on Hong Kong in the opener.

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are slotted in Group A alongside UAE and Oman, while Group B comprises Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong.

India and Pakistan are slated to meet on September 14 in Dubai. The tournament, to be played in the T20 format, is seen as vital preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Four stage, where another India–Pakistan clash could take place on September 21.

The final has been scheduled for September 28.

READ: Former all-rounder calls for India to skip Pakistan clash at Asia Cup 2025

Mohammed Siraj opens up on Brook’s dropped catch after match-winning performance

LONDON: India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has shared his thoughts on Harry Brook’s dropped catch after his match-winning performance in the final Test against England here at The Oval on Monday.

Mohammed Siraj was pivotal in India’s thrilling six-run victory in the fifth Test and was the leading wicket-taker of the series with 23 wickets.

A day earlier, Siraj was at the receiving end when he dropped England’s ace batter Harry Brook while he was batting on 19 runs.

The right-handed batter went on to score his 10th Test century, which at that time looked like England had taken the game away from India.

During the post-match presentation, Siraj expressed his emotions on the drop catch and revealed the motivation behind his stellar performance.

“I cannot describe my feelings. After yesterday’s incident, I thought the match was gone. Had we got Harry Brook out before lunch, things would have been different, ” he said after being named as the P

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“There would have been no fifth day. That was a game-changing moment. But we came back strongly after that,” he remarked.

Siraj stated that he had believed in himself and had ambitions of changing the game.

“When I woke up this morning, I told myself I would change the game. I opened Google, downloaded a ‘believe’ image, and put that as my phone wallpaper.”

“My only plan was to bowl consistently at one spot and to move the ball in and out from there. I didn’t want to try too much because that could have released the pressure. From day one to today, every Test went to the fifth day. So hats off to everyone in the squad for the way they fought,” he revealed.

Siraj, who was instrumental in India’s series-levelling efforts, also shed light on the Lord’s Test drama, where he was cleaned up despite middling the ball, resulting in the visitors losing by 22 runs.

“It was a heartbreaking moment,” Siraj said. “Jaddu [Ravindra Jadeja] bhai was telling me not to overthink and focus on middling every ball. He told me to think about my father and how hard I have worked to get here. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen,” Mohammed Siraj concluded.

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Mohammed Siraj takes five as India beat England to level Test series

LONDON: Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj held on to his nerves and claimed a five-wicket haul to steer India to a thrilling six-run victory over England in the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy here at The Oval on Monday.

Defending 374, India bundled England for 367, with Siraj taking 5-104, to level the five-match series 2-2. This was also India’s narrowest winning margin in a Test match.

After resuming on 339-6, England lost four wickets for 28 runs on the final morning of a thrilling series in overcast conditions.

Mohammed Siraj drew first blood, removing England wicketkeeper batter Jamie Smith, who was caught without adding to his score, as the home side were reduced to 347-7

Siraj struck again in his next over, removing Jamie Overton, who fell next, lbw for nine runs.

The interesting moment of the final day came when England’s last man, Chris Woakes, came into bat with his left arm strapped up owing to an injured shoulder.

The Three Lions still needed 17 more runs to secure victory when Chris Woakes came out to bat.

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Gus Atkinson, who starred with the ball for the home side, hit a six off Siraj before England got the target down to single figures.

The 25-day thrilling Test cricket series came to a wire with England requiring seven runs to win. However, Siraj bowled a beautiful delivery to Atkinson (17) and cleaned him up as the Oval crowd erupted in loud cheers.

India were without Jasprit Bumrah at the Oval after deciding to stand by a decision to only play the world’s top-ranked Test bowler in three games of this five-match series — a figure the fast bowler reached during last week’s drawn fourth Test at Old Trafford.

Siraj, who was the only pacer to feature throughout, ended the series as the highest wicket-taker with 23 wickets at 32.43.

For England, Harry Brook top-scored with 111 of just 98 balls, striking two maximums and 14 fours.

For India, Mohammed Siraj took five wickets, whereas Prasidh Krishna scalped four wickets.

The India-England series ended in a draw with both teams finishing at 2-2 after this emphatic victory.

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WATCH: Mohammed Siraj’s dropped catch helps Harry Brook reach century

LONDON: India pacer Mohammed Siraj dropped a sitter of England ace batter Harry Brook on the fourth day of the fifth Test here at The Oval on Sunday.

Siraj dropped an easy catch off Prasidh Krishna’s bowling on the boundary when Brook was batting on 19.

Harry Brook, who pulled a well-directed short ball from Prasidh, went to fine leg, where Siraj was outstanding; however, the pacer could not manage to catch the ball, which romped over the line for six runs.

The Indian team fielders were left amused after seeing Mohammed Siraj drop an easy catch on the boundary line.

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The reprieve not only gave a life to Harry Brook but also gifted him six runs, and he went on to take Krishna for 16 runs from the over.

Following the dropped chance, the pair of Brook added 180 runs on the fourth wicket to keep the Indian bowlers at bay.

At the time of filing this story, England were 285-3 with only 89 required to win. Harry Brook remained unbeaten on 100*, whereas Joe Root was standing on 78* at the crease.

Brook scored his 10th and second Test hundred against India in only his 30th match.

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Former India cricketer lauds Siraj for filling Bumrah’s boots

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has heaped praise on pacer Mohammed Siraj for his standout performance in the ongoing fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval.

Siraj was instrumental in India bundling out England for 247 in their first innings on Day 2, finishing with figures of 4 for 86.

Following the second day’s play, Chopra highlighted Siraj’s ability to lead the attack in the absence of senior partner Jasprit Bumrah.

“Siraj might go for a few runs, but he sticks to his plan of bowling longer spells, and that’s the key to his success in taking wickets,” Chopra said in a YouTube video.

The former opener highlighted an interesting statistic: Mohammed Siraj averages 35.00 when playing alongside Bumrah, but that number significantly drops to 25.59 when he leads the attack without Bumrah.

“He raises his game when Bumrah isn’t there. The start wasn’t good; they were getting hit. When we were playing, it seemed like a green top and batting looked very difficult, but when they came, it seemed like it had become a road.

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“They were hitting at seven to eight runs per over. That was dangerous,” Chopra explained.

“He raises his game when Bumrah isn’t there. The start wasn’t great; they were getting hit,” Chopra remarked.

“It looked like a green top when we were batting, but when England came in, it looked like a road. They were scoring at seven to eight runs per over; that was dangerous.”

While acknowledging that Mohammed Siraj isn’t flawless, Chopra stressed that effort has never been in question.

“He might not always bowl perfectly, sometimes straying down the leg side or conceding runs at a higher economy rate,” he added.

“These things can happen to anyone. But have you ever seen him bowl at 70 percent? Has there ever been a time when Siraj didn’t give his absolute best?”

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Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal help India nose ahead of England

Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj took four wickets each as India fought back in the fifth and deciding Test against England at the Oval on Friday.

England were 129-1 in reply to India’s 224 all out as they threatened to build a substantial first-innings lead.

But they were eventually dismissed for 247, just 23 runs ahead.

The recalled Krishna had figures of 4-62 in 16 overs and fellow paceman Siraj 4-86 in 16.2 in a match India must win to end one of the most enthralling series in England since the 2005 Ashes, level at 2-2.

India were 75-2 in their second innings, a lead of 52 runs, when bad light ended play on the second day, with England a bowler down in the absence of the injured Chris Woakes.

Yashasvi Jaiswal was 51 not out after being dropped twice.

The left-handed opener was reprieved on 20 when Harry Brook floored a tough catch at second slip following a loose drive off Gus Atkinson.

And he was missed again on 40 when Liam Dawson failed to sight a catch in the deep and was hit in the face.

Jaiswal cashed in with a 44-ball fifty completed when he guided Jamie Overton over the slips for six.

India opener KL Rahul was caught by first slip Joe Root off Josh Tongue before Sai Sudharsan, dropped on seven, was lbw to Atkinson for 11.

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Earlier, Crawley and Ben Duckett shared a blistering first-wicket stand of 92 in just 13 overs after Atkinson marked his return to Test cricket with a five-wicket haul.

Both openers fell either side of lunch; however, before stand-in England captain Ollie Pope, leading the side in place of the injured Ben Stokes, was lbw to Siraj for 22.

Crawley and Duckett dominated India’s attack, with left-hander Duckett telling Akash Deep, “you can’t get me out”.

Deep, however, had Duckett caught behind for 43 off an attempted scoop, then put his arm around the unimpressed batter’s shoulder and appeared to say a few words as he walked off.

This incident followed India captain Shubman Gill’s accusation that England had ignored the “spirit of cricket” by time-wasting during the third Test at Lord’s.

England were then angered by India’s decision to bat on in the fourth Test at Old Trafford rather than agree a draw as soon as possible.

After Duckett’s exit, Crawley holed out off a miscued pull against Krishna for 64, with 56 of those runs coming in boundaries.

The usually mild-mannered Root, second in the all-time list of Test match run scorers, found himself exchanging words with Krishna before the umpires intervened, and was lbw to Siraj for 29.

Jamie Smith’s edged drive off Krishna was well caught by Rahul at second slip, and four balls later, Overton was lbw for a duck.

Brook struck an extraordinary ‘falling’ sweep for six off Siraj during a 57-ball fifty.

But Siraj bowled him for 53, with Brook the last man out as Woakes was unable to bat.

England paceman Woakes was effectively ruled out of the rest of the match before play on Friday after suffering a shoulder injury when diving in an attempt to prevent a boundary on Thursday.

But Atkinson responded with a superb return of 5-33 in 21.4 in an innings where he also ran out the in-form Gill.

The 27-year-old’s fourth five-wicket haul in just 13 Tests was all the more creditable as this was Atkinson’s first senior match since being sidelined with hamstring trouble following a one-off Test against Zimbabwe in May.

India, who resumed on 204-6, lost their last four wickets for just 20 more runs in 5.4 overs on Friday.

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Heartbroken Siraj opens up on India’s narrow loss in Lord’s Test

Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has shared his thoughts after India’s narrow defeat against England in the third Test of the five-match series.

India were just 22 runs away from a memorable victory against England at the home of cricket in the third Test with Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja battling the England bowlers on day five.

However, injured off-spinner Shoaib Bashir shattered Indian dreams of securing a victory as his ball rolled back onto the stumps despite Mohammed Siraj middling the ball.

Now, Mohammed Siraj has shared insights into the dismissal on the eve of the fourth Test with the series on the line for India.

“I had taken the final wicket in 2021 as well. I am a very emotional person; it could have been 2-1. Jaddu bhai fought very hard. But then I said to myself that the series is not over, and I will work on my batting,” he said in the pre-match press conference.

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“We kept working hard on our batting since Australia. The 22-run loss was heartbreaking,” Siraj added.

The heartbroken pacer revealed that he was feeling confident and did not think of getting out.

“To middle the ball and still get bowled, the way we were batting together, I was feeling confident and thought I will not get out today. But it was unlucky and it was heartbreaking because the result could have been entirely different,” he explained.

With the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy on the line for India, the visitors are eager to get a much-needed victory at Old Trafford in Manchester.

Mohammed Siraj mentioned the heated exchanges with England players, noting that they were for diverting the players.

“There are no plans regarding this. When you are bowling, you are in another zone; your focus is on taking wickets, so you don’t know what you say. You want to divert the batter — like when I asked Root, ‘Where is the Bazball?” Mohammed Siraj concluded.

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