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India on Sunday announced its squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England, but one notable name was missing from the list.
Senior fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who has been a regular feature in India’s white-ball team over the past few years, was not included in the squad selected by the BCCI selection committee.
The omission has surprised many fans, especially given Siraj’s experience in English conditions and the role he has played in India’s ODI plans in recent years. Although BCCI has not officially revealed the exact reason behind this decision, there are some factors that might have influenced the selectors’ decision.
Mohammed Siraj dropped from India’s ODI team for England series
The BCCI on Sunday announced India’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England, with Shubman Gill to captain the side. Senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were included in the team along with KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav.
However, the biggest talking point from the announcement was Mohammed Siraj’s absence.
The Hyderabad fast bowler, who has been a regular member of India’s white-ball team in recent years, failed to make a mark as the selectors chose Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Gurnoor Brar as the fast bowling options for the England tour.
Mohammed Siraj’s omission comes as a surprise to many fans, given his experience in English conditions and his status as one of India’s senior fast bowlers. His absence becomes even more notable considering that India have selected a full-strength ODI squad for the crucial series.
Mohammed Siraj has been dropped from the Indian team for the T20 series against Ireland and England.
Siraj was dropped from the ODI squad soon after he was withdrawn from India’s T20I squad for the Ireland and England series.
According to an official statement from BCCI, the fast bowler was advised rest as part of their workload management programme.
“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 the long international season.”
The men’s selection committee later named Prasidh Krishna as Mohammed Siraj’s replacement for both T20I series.
The decision suggested that the team management was keen to manage Mohammed Siraj’s workload carefully ahead of a busy international calendar.
Why was Mohammed Siraj not selected in India’s ODI team for the England series?
Although the BCCI has not issued any official clarification regarding Siraj’s exclusion from the ODIs, two factors may have contributed to the decision.
The first is workload management. Siraj had already been dropped from the T20 squads of Ireland and England as part of the rest programme. With India set to play a long international season, the selectors may have decided to extend that break and keep him fresh for the upcoming Test assignments.
The second factor could be his ODI form since the start of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Statistics show that Siraj has struggled to deliver consistent returns during this period.
Since the start of the 2023 ODI World Cup, Siraj has played 20 ODI matches, taking 22 wickets at an average of 38.36. Although he has produced some strong performances, his overall figures are well below his career ODI average of 25.32.
With Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh and Gurnoor Brar having performed well in recent occasions, the selectors may have felt it is the right time to explore alternative pace options while giving Siraj an extended break ahead of the crucial Test season.
