In a surprising turn of events, Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has been released from the India One-Day International (ODI) squad ahead of the highly anticipated WI vs IND 2023 series.

The decision came as a setback for the Indian team and a cause for concern for fans and cricket enthusiasts worldwide. Siraj’s exclusion from the squad is attributed to a sore ankle, which raises questions about his availability for future matches.

“Mohammed Siraj has been released from Team India’s ODI squad ahead of the three-match series against the West Indies. The right-arm pacer has a sore ankle and as a precautionary measure has been advised rest by the BCCI medical team. The team has not called for a replacement player for the ODI series, which commences on July 27, 2023, in Barbados,” BCCI said in a statement.

Men in blue will play the first two ODIs in Barbados on July 27 and 29 and will then move to Tarouba to play the third ODI on August 1.

Mohammed Siraj was the Player of the Match in the second Test in Trinidad after picking a five-wicket haul for India as the Test was drawn due to rain on day five. Siraj, who is not part of the T20I squad for the Caribbean tour, picked up seven wickets in the two Tests.

Mohammed Siraj’s journey from a budding talent in Hyderabad to representing the Indian cricket team is nothing short of inspiring. His fiery pace and ability to extract movement from the pitches made him a force to be reckoned with in domestic cricket.

His consistent performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) further solidified his credentials as a lethal fast bowler.

Having earned his stripes in domestic cricket and the IPL, Mohammed Siraj was rewarded with a national team call-up in 2017. He made his T20I debut against New Zealand in November 2017 and eventually received his ODI cap against Australia in January 2019. Since then, Siraj’s progress has been noteworthy, and he has become a vital part of India’s fast-bowling arsenal.

India’s updated ODI squad:

Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar

(BCCI inputs)