Is Mohammed Siraj playing today's IND vs AFG Super 8 match of 2024 T20 World Cup?

India have left out pacer Mohammed Siraj from their playing XI for the T20 World Cup Super 8 encounter against Afghanistan in Barbados on Thursday, June 20. Siraj has been replaced in the XI by Kuldeep Yadav as the Men in Blue wanted an extra spin option.

The conditions in Barbados seem to be a lot different from New York where India played their group stage games, where they opted for three out-and-out pacers alongside the seam-up of Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube.

While Jasprit Bumrah was always going to be a certain starter, the Men in Blue had to choose between Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj as the second pacer and they have gone with the former.

Arshdeep has been in terrific form in the tournament so far with seven wickets from three games at an economy rate of 6.25. His ability to bowl across phases and nail the yorkers at the death might have been a crucial factor in India leaning towards the left-arm pacer over Siraj.

India have won the toss and elected to bat first in the game against Afghanistan.

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Ravindra Jadeja had recently spoken about spinners getting more help in T20 World Cup games in West Indies

India's ploy of playing with an extra spinner instead of Mohammed Siraj's pace shouldn't surprise many as the thinking seemed to be clear when they selected four spinners in their T20 World Cup squad. Recently, Ravindra Jadeja had told Star Sports about how spinners could get more help from the surface in the West Indies. He said:

"Whenever we play in the West Indies, the wicket remains a bit slow and dry. The match timing is also in the morning so spinners will have help. Even in India, there are many wickets where spinners get help. So it is a good thing that spinners will get help here in the middle overs. You could see spinners being used in the death overs as well."

India's XI for T20 World Cup clash against Afghanistan: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.