Former South African cricket legend AB de Villiers has termed Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj as "unlucky" for missing out on a spot in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. The selection, announced on December 20, 2025, saw the team opt for a fresh set of pace options under the leadership of spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for their title defence on home soil.
The Balance Behind the Omission
De Villiers, analysing the selection on his YouTube channel, pinpointed team balance as the primary reason for Siraj's exclusion. The Hyderabad fast bowler has not played a T20 International for nearly 16 months, his last appearance being during India's World Cup-winning campaign in the Americas in June 2024. While he remains a key figure in Test cricket, as seen in the drawn series in England earlier this year, his white-ball role is now confined to the ODI format.
"We see Siraj in the ODI squad, he's one of the unlucky guys to miss out. But that is once again down to the balance," de Villiers stated. He explained that with Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh retaining their spots from the previous edition, the selectors favoured Harshit Rana as the third seamer because of his additional skill with the bat. "Harshit can hold the bat as well. So there are your three seamers. I think that is the reason why you went for Harshit because Siraj is only an outright bowler."
India's Spin-Centric Strategy
The Proteas great observed that the Indian think tank does not want to focus excessively on seam bowling for the tournament. Instead, the strategy revolves around a potent spin attack. "The focus is on the spinners. If they get wickets with the seamers upfront, they almost see it as a bonus in a way," de Villiers remarked. He praised the Indian bowling unit as well-rounded, with match-winners across departments ready to step up.
"When Bumrah has a quiet night a Kuldeep comes through and gets you four and vice versa. Then there's Hardik coming through in the middle and turning the momentum around. Those are the kind of championship teams you want, and India have got all those bases covered," he added, highlighting the team's depth.
A Nod to the Future and a Note on Inexperience
While acknowledging Siraj's misfortune, de Villiers noted that the pacer is still in India's plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The conversation then shifted to his replacement, Harshit Rana. Despite being impressed with Rana's wicket-taking ability in the recent T20Is against South Africa, de Villiers pointed out a potential area of concern.
"The problem with Harshit Rana with the new ball is that he doesn't have a lot of experience at the international level," he said. However, he believes the team structure can mitigate this. "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."
Mohammed Siraj's T20I career, spanning nine years, has been limited to just 16 matches where he has taken 14 wickets. His absence from the marquee event underscores the selectors' preference for multi-dimensional players and a specific tactical blueprint centred on spin, leaving a proven performer like Siraj on the sidelines for this particular campaign.
