Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik analysed Mohammed Siraj's absence from India's playing XI for the fourth ODI against New Zealand at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.
India faced New Zealand in the fourth ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, on Friday, November 13, 2026, with the series poised at 2-0 in India's favour after the third match at Hamilton was washed out without a ball bowled. Shreyas Iyer captained India for the first time in ODIs as the team prepared for a two-Test series beginning November 19 in Wellington.
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik provided analysis of the team's selection strategy, particularly regarding the absence of Mohammed Siraj from the playing XI. The omission reflected India's squad rotation and tactical preferences ahead of the Test series.
"The sad part of that XI is Mohammed Siraj. I think he has not made the cut purely because of two things: How well Arshdeep and Gurnoor have bowled, and India do want to bat till No.8. I think they feel Aaqib Nabi is someone who can give them something with the bat at No.8 and hence he makes the cut," Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
"At this point of time, he is not on the top of the pile for the 2027 World Cup. I think there are a couple of bowlers who are ahead of him. This is from the Indian team's perspective, personally it's different," he added.
Why was Siraj left out of India's fourth ODI?
Siraj's availability throughout the series had been affected by squad management. He was unavailable for the first ODI in Auckland due to his participation in an India A unofficial Test against New Zealand A, which concluded on November 3. After joining the squad in Wellington ahead of the second ODI, Siraj did not feature in the playing XI. The third match at Hamilton was abandoned without play, yet India named its XI without the fast bowler.
India had deployed four specialist seamers across the opening matches: Arshdeep Singh, Aaqib Nabi, Anshul Kamboj and Gurnoor Brar. However, Anshul Kamboj departed the squad alongside Shubman Gill and KL Rahul to prepare for the two-Test series. Rather than replacing Kamboj with another seamer, India brought in Kuldeep Yadav, a spin bowler. Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad also returned to the squad for the fourth ODI.
What do former cricketers say about the omission?
Former India cricketer Murali Kartik expressed disappointment at Siraj's continued exclusion from the playing XI. Kartik acknowledged the team's perspective while hoping for a change in circumstances for the fast bowler.
"I don't understand it, but it is how the team sees him. We can sit here and feel for him. I don't know whether he was at his best in the hot and humid conditions in Sri Lanka, but post that, he has not been needed in the playing XI. I hope Siraj gets a gig because he is a whole-hearted cricketer," Kartik said.
Siraj's recent record presented a contrasting picture to his earlier career trajectory. The fast bowler had taken 77 wickets across 51 ODIs overall. However, since the 2023 World Cup final, Siraj featured in only 10 ODIs, claiming 9 wickets at an average of 47.44. He was also not selected as a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah for the 2025 Champions Trophy, further indicating a shift in the team's bowling priorities.