Devang Gandhi questions workload management of Mohammed Siraj: ‘…you can play domestic cricket but not the international matches?’

“Suppose on the eve of a game, one of the three quicks gets injured or indisposed. Who do you play then? You don’t have enough (ODI cricket) experience in your pace group in the first place, and then you could be forced to include (seamer all-rounder) Nitish Kumar Reddy, who will neither bat in the top six nor give you too many overs with the ball. The presence of an experienced guy like Siraj could seriously have helped in such a situation,” he added.

Another former player former Harbhajan Singh, too, felt that the lack of experience in the lineup also hurt them. Jasprit Bumrah has been rested, but Harbhajan stated that India had to pick either Mohammed Shami, who has been in good nick in domestic cricket this season and hasn’t played for India since March this year.

“Where is Shami? I don’t know why Shami is not playing,” said Harbhajan on his YouTube channel after the 2nd ODI. “I get it, you have Prasidh, he is a good bowler, but he still has a lot to learn. You had good bowlers, and you have slowly sidelined them. With Bumrah, this is a different bowling attack, and without Bumrah, it is entirely different attack altogether. We have to learn the art of winning games without Jasprit Bumrah.”

“In England, without Bumrah, Siraj was unbelievable, fantastic. India won all the Tests where Bumrah did not feature. But, in shorter formats, we need to find people who can win you games, whether it be fast bowling or spin. Find spinners who can come in and take wickets. There is Kuldeep, but what about the rest?” he added.