India pacer Mohammed Siraj has pulled out of the squad for the T20I series against Ireland later this month and the subsequent tour of England in July, with the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) naming Prasidh Krishna as his replacement. The decision has been taken as part of Siraj’s workload management, following an extended period on the road.
“Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has been withdrawn from India’s squads for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England,” the release stated.
“Following discussions between the BCCI Medical Team and the Team Management, Siraj has been advised a period of rest as part of his workload management programme. The decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to ensure adequate recovery ahead of a long international season.”
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Even as several players were afforded breaks, Siraj continued to shoulder a heavy workload. He played all five Tests of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England last summer and was visibly exhausted by the heat during the Test against the West Indies at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium in October, requiring treatment in the dugout. In the same match, he became India’s leading wicket-taker of 2025. Siraj, however, is likely to feature in the ODIs against England, scheduled for July.
Why Prasidh?
With Siraj believed to be a key part of India’s plans for the 2027 World Cup, the BCCI is keen to ensure that the team’s second leading pacer after Jasprit Bumrah remains fit and in peak condition as the Men in Blue travel to Africa in pursuit of the one trophy that has eluded them for several years.
Prasidh, meanwhile, has been drafted into the squad after picking up 16 wickets in 12 matches for the Gujarat Titans. He has played only five T20Is for India, significantly fewer than his 23 ODIs and seven Tests. However, India will hope to make the most of Prasidh’s height and bounce on English pitches as they take on the 2022 T20 World Cup champions. Last year, Prasidh enjoyed a bumper Test series against England, picking up 14 wickets from three matches, including a best of 4/62 at the Oval.
India’s updated squad for Ireland and England T20Is: Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (VC), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Prasidh Krishna.
