Mohammed Siraj has long been a mainstay in India’s Test setup, and until the 2023 ODI World Cup final, he was equally important in the 50-over format. Entering that tournament as the world’s No.1 ODI bowler, Siraj was seen as a cornerstone of India’s white-ball attack. But since India’s heartbreaking defeat in Ahmedabad, his presence in limited-overs cricket has unexpectedly declined.

India have played 19 ODIs since that final, yet Siraj has featured in only six of them—three coming in the recent series against Australia. He was also absent from India’s triumphant ICC Champions Trophy campaign, raising eyebrows about his diminishing role in the shorter formats.

In Test cricket, however, Mohammed Siraj continues to excel. He delivered a standout performance earlier this year, helping India draw the fiercely contested Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2–2. His overall ODI numbers remain impressive as well—73 wickets from 46 innings at a strong average of 24.67—making his reduced involvement even more puzzling.

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With Indian bowlers struggling in the ongoing ODI series against South Africa, especially after failing to defend a mammoth 359 in Raipur, former India opener Aakash Chopra openly questioned Siraj’s disappearance from the ODI setup.

“I can’t wrap my head around this. When did he become a one-format player?” Aakash Chopra said in a video on X. “Whenever he plays, we praise his passion and wicket-taking ability. So how has he suddenly vanished from ODI cricket?”

Chopra expressed disappointment over Siraj’s exclusion from the Champions Trophy as well. “It felt unfair. Just two years ago, he was India’s highest wicket-taker in ODIs, and suddenly his name has disappeared,” he added.

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The former opener also pointed out that while bowlers like Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana continue to get regular opportunities, Siraj is “nowhere to be seen.”

“He’s missing from ODIs, he’s out of T20Is, and I genuinely don’t know why. When did he become a single-format bowler?” Aakash Chopra questioned.