Mohammed Siraj omitted from India XI for first ODI against West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram

Mohammed Siraj was omitted from India’s playing XI for the first ODI against West Indies at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, September 27, the opening game of a three-match series.

The series is being used by both sides as preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Shubman Gill won the toss and decided to bowl first, India handed an ODI debut to Naman Dhir, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are back in the ODI setup, and the selected XI features four specialist bowlers and two all-rounders.

Siraj’s absence has been linked by observers to recent form; he was described as looking slightly off-colour in the last series and as having appeared to have lost some pace. There has been no official statement from the Indian team confirming that form or pace was the reason for his omission.

India’s bowling group for the match includes Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav, while Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Naman Dhir also offer bowling options. The selection allows India to test different players and combinations as they prepare for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

With a long ODI season ahead, India could rotate their bowlers and provide opportunities to other members of the squad. Siraj’s omission from the first match does not necessarily imply he will miss the entire series.

India still have two matches remaining against West Indies, and any return by Siraj could depend on the team’s combination, workload and requirements. More clarity on his status is expected from the team management after the first ODI.