India's Asia Cup 2025 squad announcement has sparked intense debate, with one of the biggest talking points being the omission of star pacer Mohammed Siraj.
Former Sri Lankan all-rounder Farveez Maharoof has openly questioned the decision, praising Siraj's recent exploits and highlighting the impact his absence could have on India's campaign.
Speaking to MyKhel, Maharoof expressed his opinion at Siraj's exclusion, especially given his recent performances across formats on the sidelines of CL T10 2025. " I think Siraj is the go-to bowler in all three formats at the moment," Maharoof said.
Siraj's record certainly supports Maharoof's stance. The Hyderabad pacer was instrumental in India's recent Test series in England, where he bowled over 180 overs and emerged as the series' standout performer. His fiery spell in the fifth and final Test, where he claimed a crucial five-wicket haul, helped India level the series 2-2. Across the series, he took 23 wickets, reaffirming his status as one of the world's leading bowlers.
In the IPL 2025 season, Siraj continued to impress, bagging 16 wickets for Gujarat Titans and finishing as their third-highest wicket-taker. Many believe his partnership with Jasprit Bumrah could have formed the backbone of India's pace attack in the Asia Cup's T20 format, providing both experience and aggression.
While Maharoof acknowledged India's careful workload management for Bumrah, he insisted that Siraj's current form made him indispensable. "With Shami's injury, I don't know what the plan is, but Siraj has a big heart. I watched him bowl in the England series, I think 180 odd overs in a test series, that's a lot of work. That's a lot of work for him to have that heart to do it. He is the premier bowler''.
India, under head coach Gautam Gambhir, will now head into the Asia Cup with Bumrah leading a relatively decent pace unit. Whether this gamble without Siraj pays off remains to be seen, but the absence of one of their most reliable pacers has undoubtedly raised eyebrows.
