'It Is A Matter Of...': Mohammed Siraj Dismisses Concerns Regarding Senior All-Rounder's Form Ahead Of 3rd ODI

On January 17, 2026, India pacer Mohammed Siraj spoke to the media ahead of the 3rd India vs New Zealand ODI. In the press conference, while the pacer addressed several questions, he was also asked about the recent poor form of an Indian team veteran player in the ongoing ODI series.

When asked about it, Mohammed Siraj quickly defended all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, insisting that it will only take one wicket for the veteran player to return to his best. Ravindra Jadeja went wicketless in the first two ODIs against New Zealand (0/44 and 0/56) and had only managed to get one wicket in the previous ODI series against South Africa.

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Mohammed Siraj Defends Ravindra Jadeja

Siraj dismissed any doubts about Jadeja's form and explained that it is a matter of just one wicket, and after that, fans will get to see a different and more confident bowler.

Mohammed Siraj shared, "I don't think there is any concern about Jadeja's form. It is a matter of just one wicket. Once you get that breakthrough, you will see a different bowler altogether."

Despite the recent dip in performance, Jadeja's overall ODI is still impressive with nearly 2,900 runs at just over 32 and 232 wickets across 209 matches.

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Mohammed Siraj Reflects On 2nd ODI Against New Zealand

Siraj underlined that the bowling remains confident despite their loss to New Zealand. Missed chances in the previous match allowed New Zealand to level the three-part ODI series.

Siraj shared, "We played very well in both matches. In the first ODI, our bowling and batting were very good. In the second match, even after losing early wickets, KL Rahul batted well, and Nitish Reddy also contributed."

He further reflected on the match, "There was an opportunity. When the catch dropped, if we had taken that chance, the result could have been different. World-class batters don't give you many opportunities, and when they get one, they make you pay."

India and New Zealand are currently tied 1-1 in the three-match series, with the match on January 18, 2026, set to decide the winner of the series.