In form of ICC T20 World Cup 2026 viewpoint, the global cricket fraternity is dissecting IndiaAdventure group selection. while the return of Ishan Kishan And the shocking omission of the former vice-captain Shubman Gill Making headlines, it is the exclusion of an experienced fast bowler that has caught the attention of the South African legend AB de VilliersDe Villiers, who shared the dressing room with many Indian stars rcbSaid that although the team is formidable, the absence of this ‘unfortunate’ veteran highlights a significant change in India’s strategic philosophy.
AB de Villiers calls it ‘unfortunate’ for the Indian fast bowler to be left out of the 15-member T20 World Cup 2026 squad.
Speaking on his YouTube channel on January 5, 2026, de Villiers labeled Mohammad Siraj As one of the most unlucky players to be left out of India’s 15-man World Cup squad. Despite world class performance in the recent Test series against Siraj England and a solid ipl 2025 weather for Gujarat TitansSelectors chose youth and batting depth Harshit RanaDe Villiers admitted that although Rana lacks international experience, his ‘batting’ ability has given him an edge as the third seamer, Jasprit Bumrah And Arshdeep Singh,
“We see Siraj in the ODI team, he is one of the unlucky ones who got left out. But it is in the balance once again. You have Bumrah and Arshdeep. Harshit [Rana] Can also catch a bat. So you have three seamers. I think that’s why you chose Harshit because Siraj is a great bowler.” De Villiers said.
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De Villiers explains India’s strategy for the T20 World Cup tournament
De Villiers further explained what is India’s strategy for the 2026 tournament to be hosted by India Sri LankaThere has been a move away from reliance on seam bowling. By selecting a spin-heavy unit characterized by Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakraborty And washington beautifulThe team management considers the role of fast bowlers as secondary. De Villiers concluded that India had all the bases covered, noting that even if a leader like Bumrah had a quiet night, the depth in the spin department and the presence of all-rounders like hardik pandya And Shivam Dubey Will allow India to maintain the momentum.
“They don’t want to focus too much on seam bowling. The focus is on the spinners. If they get wickets with the seamers, they almost see it as a bonus in a way. So Siraj is unlucky but at least he is moving forward in the ODI plans for the 2027 World Cup.” De Villiers concluded.
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