Mohammed Siraj became a household name in India after making his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut for the SunRisers Hyderabad in 2017. The same year, he went on to make his T20I debut for India where he impressed then-India captain Virat Kohli with his bowling performances and the rest as they say is history. Mohammed Siraj's moment of reckoning, however, came during the 2020/21 series in Australia where he spearheaded Team India's attack in the absence of seniors like Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah. Since then Mohammed Siraj has been a regular in the side. But he wasn't at his best during the recent tour of England. On the other hand, Mohammad Shami put up one fine display after another and was the most economical bowler in the ODI series against Jos Buttler and company. With Siraj having an inconsistent series against the Three Lions, former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris has now claimed that he could lose his spot to the veteran pacer Mohammad Shami in India's squad for the T20 World Cup in Australia.

“It is all about balance and head-to-head matchups. For me he was up against Mohammad Shami as a direct comparison, quick through the air, skiddy, not that tall necessarily, doesn't get a lot of bounce, he will do you through pace and maybe depending on where the game is being played, a little bit of reverse,” Scott Styris said on Sports18.

“I think Shami has taken a big step forward. Therefore, Siraj is behind the eight ball if you like. Maybe looking for a backup role as well. He had a really disappointing Indian T20 league for a player I had a lot higher expectations from, and that's why Shami is in the queue in front of him,” Scott Styris said.

Scott Styris also emphasized that Hardik Pandya's re-emergence as a fast bowler has lessened Shardul Thakur's chances of making the T20 World Cup squad as an all-rounder because the flamboyant Gujarat-born cricketer was winning matches with both bat and ball.

“That's the one thing he has to his advantage is that he bats,” Scott Styris said about Shardul Thakur. “The downside is the emergence of Hardik Pandya as a genuine all-rounder. Do you need two of those style of players because Shardul Thakur isn't as good as Hardik Pandya, I don't believe as an all-rounder.”

“So maybe he is fighting for a backup spot rather than one of the players to play as a frontline. We have seen him play many match-winning innings for India, usually in the longer versions of the game but he does have that ability to hit boundaries, closing out innings or putting the final touches, the cherry on the top if you like,” Scott Styris elaborated.

Earlier, Scott Styris has heaped rich praise on India middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav, saying the Mumbai-born cricketer has the potential to single-handedly win games for his country.

During the recent T20I series against England, Suryakumar Yadav joined a select band of Indian cricketers who have slammed a hundred in the shortest format of the game.

The Mumbai Indians star smashed a stunning 117 off 55 deliveries in the third and the final T20I against England at Trent Bridge but his valiant effort proved to be futile as the Rohit Sharma-led side lost the match by 17 runs.

During his stupendous knock in Nottingham, Suryakumar was so comfortable in the middle that he appeared to be toying with the English bowlers. Surya or SKY as he is popularly known also struck 14 boundaries and 6 sixes during his century but failed to take India over the line.

Yet his 360-approach has earned him widespread acclaim from several quarters and Scott Styris is of the view that he should bat at No.4 for India because he scores his runs extremely quickly and can change the complexion of games within minutes with his power-packed performances.

“There are very few people on this planet who are bigger fans of SKY than what I am, I can tell you that right now. If he is not in that side, then every other side around the world is just doing a little dance,” Scott Styris noted.

“It was pleasing for me when everyone said that he should be one of the first guys picked and I can understand why. I think he has got real game-winning potential, that's what you are after, you want players who can win matches on their own,” Scott Styris mentioned.

“It's the other names around, you have got Rohit, KL Rahul and Kohli – so the front three are taken. So there is a real squeeze where he fits in. I think he should be the No. 4 but he is up against the likes of Shreyas Iyer and the Sanju Samsons,” the former New Zealand player said.

Suryakumar Yadav was back in India colors on Friday in the first ODI against the West Indies at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad but failed to do much with the bat as he was clean-bowled by Akeal Hosein for 13.