The BCCI stated that the decision was taken after discussions between the board's medical team and the Indian team management, with Siraj being advised to take a period of rest ahead of a demanding international calendar.
"Fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has been withdrawn from India's squads for the upcoming T20I series against Ireland and England. 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 board said in an official statement.
The move comes after Siraj endured a heavy workload over the past year. The right-arm pacer featured in all five Tests of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England last summer and continued to play regularly despite several senior players being rested periodically. During India's Test against the West Indies at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium in October, Siraj appeared visibly exhausted due to the extreme heat and required medical attention. Despite the challenges, he emerged as India's leading wicket-taker of 2025.
While Siraj will miss the T20I assignments against Ireland and England, he is expected to return for the ODI series against England scheduled in July.
Prasidh Earns Recall
Prasidh Krishna has been rewarded for his impressive recent performances and will replace Siraj in the T20I squad. The tall fast bowler claimed 16 wickets in 12 matches for the Gujarat Titans and has steadily strengthened his case for a regular place in India's white-ball setup.
Although Prasidh has played only five T20 Internationals, he brings valuable international experience from his 23 ODIs and seven Test appearances. His height and ability to generate extra bounce are expected to be useful assets on English pitches.
The Karnataka pacer also enjoyed a successful Test series against England last year, taking 14 wickets in three matches, including a career-best spell of 4/62 at The Oval. Team management will hope he can replicate that form during the upcoming T20I tour.
Busy Schedule Ahead
India are set to play two T20 Internationals against Ireland before travelling to England for a five-match T20I series against the 2022 T20 World Cup champions. With preparations already underway for the 2027 ODI World Cup, the management is keen to keep key fast bowlers such as Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah fresh and injury-free.
India's Updated T20I Squad for Ireland and England
Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and Prasidh Krishna.
