Mohammed Siraj named new Hyderabad captain for upcoming Ranji Trophy season

Mohammed Siraj will captain Hyderabad in the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season. Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has confirmed the development. They also appointed fellow pacer Chama Milind as the vice-captain of the side. Currently, the team is preparing for their opening fixture against Tripura on October 11. The team has been drawn in Elite Group B, where it will also face Saurashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Assam.

Meanwhile, the captaincy assignment gives Siraj a fresh domestic leadership role after his recent appearance for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy. He led the pace attack during the tournament under Tilak Varma’s



captaincy.

Recently, Siraj’s workload has also brought attention to his pace. During the Sri Lanka tour, his speed fell into the late 120kph range, below his customary mid-140kph level. Across the two-match series, he bowled 44 overs and finished with four wickets. When asked about the same,  Siraj attributed the issue to a lack of rhythm after returning from a two-month break.

“Coming off a two-month break straight into a match, my rhythm wasn’t quite there. I’m purely a rhythm bowler. If I’m not in sync, I simply can’t explode through the crease," Siraj said after the conclusion of the Duleep Trophy final in Chennai.