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### India Pacer Endorsed for IPL 2025 Success After Champions Trophy Omission
In the wake of his exclusion from India’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad, seasoned Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj has been earmarked by former cricketer Aakash Chopra as a potential standout in the upcoming IPL season, offering him a route back to the national team.
### NDTV Sports Desk
**Updated:** March 18, 2025, 10:08 PM IST
**Read Time:** 2 minutes
As the anticipation builds for IPL 2025, set to commence shortly, many players are eyeing this tournament as a springboard to secure their places in the national team. Among them is Mohammed Siraj, who has recently been on the sidelines of India’s white-ball squad. At 31, Siraj finds himself out of favor, omitted from the Champion Trophy-winning side. Yet, Aakash Chopra, a notable figure in cricket commentary, believes the IPL offers Siraj a prime opportunity to realign his trajectory towards national re-selection.
The Gujarat Titans (GT), who have invested heavily in Siraj with a 12.25 crore INR contract, expect him to fill the void left by their star pacer, Mohammed Shami, now playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Expressing his views via his YouTube channel, Chopra conveyed surprise over Siraj’s exclusion from India’s white-ball squads and expressed confidence in Siraj’s ability to succeed Shami’s role at the Titans.
Chopra stated, “Mohammed Siraj is at a pivotal junction with immense potential to shine. Despite his recent absence from national duties, his talent with the new ball is unquestionable, and GT offers the perfect environment for his resurgence.”
The IPL platform will test Siraj’s ability to address concerns over his economy rate, particularly in the death overs. While his career IPL economy stands at 8.65, with spikes over nine runs per over in recent seasons, his proficiency with the new ball remains a formidable asset—evidenced by his taking 34 wickets across the last two IPL seasons.
Joining forces with Siraj at GT are South African pace wizard Kagiso Rabada and the effective wicket-taker Prasidh Krishna, crafting a formidable bowling lineup. Under the leadership of Shubman Gill, who now also serves as India’s ODI vice-captain, GT aims to overturn their previous eighth-place finish and make a strong start against Punjab Kings on March 25.
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