'Unlucky to miss out': AB de Villiers explains why India ignored this star player

Former South Africa batter AB de Villiers has said Mohammed Siraj has been unfortunate to miss selection for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, pointing to team balance rather than form as the deciding factor.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, De Villiers explained that Siraj’s exclusion was more about combination choices than performance. “We see Siraj in the ODI squad, he is one of the unlucky guys to miss out. But that is once again down to the balance,” De Villiers said.



He highlighted India’s preference for a varied bowling attack, with Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh leading the pace group and Harshit Rana offering added depth with the bat. “You have got Bumrah and Arshdeep. 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,” he added.

De Villiers also pointed to India’s strategic focus on spin during the tournament. “They do not want to focus too much on seam bowling. The focus is on the spinners. If they get wickets with the seamers upfront, they almost see it as a bonus in a way,” he said, while stressing that Siraj remains firmly in India’s long-term plans. “So Siraj is unlucky but at least he is in the ODI plans moving forward for the 2027 World Cup.”

Siraj had a solid IPL season with Gujarat Titans, picking up 16 wickets from 15 matches, but did not feature in a single T20I in 2025.

De Villiers believes India have covered all areas heading into the World Cup. “The problem with Harshit Rana with the new ball is that he doesn’t have a lot of experience at the international level. But if he can give you a few overs with Bumrah and Arshdeep, there is enough overs, and then Shivam and Hardik can fill up,” he said.

He underlined the depth in India’s bowling unit and its ability to shift momentum. “They also cover all bases with spin, and that’s where they will focus on trying to win games. When Bumrah has a quiet night, a Kuldeep comes through and gets you four and vice versa. Then there is Hardik coming through in the middle and turning the momentum around,”
“Those are the kind of championship teams you want, and India has got all those bases covered,"De Villiers said.


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