Mohammed Siraj likely to play for Hyderabad in Ranji Trophy game against Vidarbha

Mohammed Siraj. Pic/AFP

As the second leg of the Ranji Trophy is just three days shy, the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) said that Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj will likely be available for the tie against Vidarbha which will be in action from January 30.

In the Elite Group B table of the Ranji Trophy, Hyderabad is placed in the sixth position from five matches. The side will resume their Ranji Trophy campaign when they lock horns with Himachal Pradesh on January 23.

Jagan Mohan Rao, the President of Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), told IANS that he didn't know the reason behind Siraj not being available for the game on January 23. Rao added that there's likely chance of Siraj playing the next Ranji Trophy game for Hyderabad, where they will be up against table-toppers Vidarbha, starting on January 30 in Nagpur.

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Mohammed Siraj was not picked in India's squad for the three ODIs against England and the Champions Trophy 2025. In ODI matches from 2022 to 2024, the pacer has claimed 71 wickets with an average of 22.97, the most by an Indian pacer in this period.

In place of him, the Indian team drafted in left-arm fast-bowler Arshdeep Singh, alongside Jasprit Bumrah (subject to fitness), Mohammed Shami, Hardik Pandya and Harshit Rana (included only for England ODIs).

In the Test series against Australia, Mohammed Siraj bagged 20 wickets with an average of 31.15 in the five games.

As of now, the upcoming round of the Ranji Trophy will see Ravindra Jadeja (Saurashtra), Rishabh Pant (Delhi), Shubman Gill (Punjab), Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal (both Mumbai) turn out for their respective state teams, while KL Rahul and Virat Kohli are out due to varied niggles.

The array of Indian players making themselves available for the Ranji Trophy comes after the BCCI apparently introduced a 10-point policy document making participation in domestic cricket mandatory, and that non-compliance could impact international selection and central contract renewals.

(With IANS Inputs)