Bridgetown: India’s pace sensation, Mohammed Siraj, has flown back home after being rested from the three-match ODI series against the West Indies, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. Along with Siraj, other Test returnees, including Ravichandran Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharath, and Navdeep Saini, also returned home.
The decision to rest Mohammed Siraj from the ODI leg of the West Indies tour was taken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) considering his workload. The star pacer was anticipated to lead India’s pace attack in the ODI series, alongside the likes of Hardik Pandya, Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur, Mukesh, and Umran Malik, while seasoned campaigner Mohammed Shami remains rested.
India faces a packed schedule in the coming months, with the Asia Cup scheduled from the end of August to the middle of September, followed by a three-game home series against Australia in September. This rigorous period is leading up to the much-anticipated domestic ODI World Cup in October.
In the recently concluded Test series against the West Indies, Mohammed Siraj displayed stellar performances, claiming seven wickets in the two Tests, including a remarkable five-for in the first innings on a challenging Port-of-Spain pitch. His brilliant bowling contributed to a batting collapse for the West Indies on the fourth morning of the Test match.
Notably, Mohammed Siraj was not included in the T20I squad for the Caribbean tour. However, he made a significant impact in the Test format and showcased his prowess as a top-class fast bowler.
His last ODI appearance was against Australia in March 2022, where he concluded the series with five wickets, the highest for India and the second-most in the series. Notably, since the beginning of 2022, Mohammed Siraj has taken a remarkable 43 ODI wickets, making him the leading Indian bowler in this category.
Comments