"You feel it's not fair" - Aakash Chopra on Mohammed Siraj's workload ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Mohammed Siraj's workload, heading into the fourth Test against England, not being spoken about is unfair. He highlighted that the seamer has bowled a lot of overs and has put in his utmost effort every time.

The fourth Test between India and England will be played in Manchester from July 23 onwards. Siraj is the only Indian seamer to play all three Tests thus far.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener was asked about Siraj's workload heading into the Manchester Test.

"He works very hard. He bowls a lot of overs. Interestingly enough, no one is talking about him, and you feel it's not fair that you talk about everyone, but not about him. However, he gives his 100 percent. Whenever he comes to bowl, he bowls wholeheartedly and runs in fast," he responded.

Chopra highlighted that Siraj never gives up, irrespective of the conditions, adding that he was disappointed when the Hyderabad seamer was left out of India's 2025 Champions Trophy squad.

"It's great if there is something in the pitch, but even if it's not there, he is not someone who gives up. You never see his shoulders drooping. You always see Siraj fighting. Siraj has been absolutely outstanding. I have only praise for him. He doesn't ask for breaks. He was dropped from the Champions Trophy squad, and I didn't like it at all," he observed.

With 13 scalps at an average of 32.00 in six innings, Mohammed Siraj is the highest wicket-taker in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He has bowled 109 overs, the most by an Indian bowler, and the third-most by a seamer across both sides, behind Chris Woakes (121) and Brydon Carse (117).

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"Seeing him playing at the moment seems like a dream" - Aakash Chopra on Arshdeep Singh's place in India's playing XI ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

Arshdeep Singh is yet to make his Test debut. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra was asked whether Arshdeep Singh should be played in Tests as he could be the all-format left-arm seamer India have been searching for.

"He definitely can, there is no doubt about that. However, seeing him playing at the moment seems like a dream. It doesn't look like it will get fulfilled because you saw Prasidh Krishna in the first two matches, and then you saw Akash Deep as well. Akash Deep bowled okay in the last match and picked up 10 wickets in the game before that," he replied.

While opining that Arshdeep is unlikely to play the fourth Test, the cricketer-turned-commentator acknowledged that the Punjab seamer is the frontrunner in the left-arm pacers' race.

"I feel Jasprit Bumrah will play the fourth match as well. So we shall see who is ready to play when the fifth Test match comes because the conditions at the Oval will also be slightly different, but I do get your point. We want a left-arm pacer to get ready, and Arshdeep is currently ahead of everyone in that race," Chopra observed.

Arshdeep Singh hasn't yet debuted in Tests. With 99 scalps at an average of 18.30 in 63 innings, he is India's highest wicket-taker in T20Is, but has played only nine ODIs, accounting for 14 dismissals at an average of 23.00.