Mohammed Siraj has been named as Harshit Rana’s replacement by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Rana has been officially ruled out of the 20-team tournament after sustaining a knee injury during a warm-up match against South Africa in Navi Mumbai.
Rana was forced to leave the field after bowling just one over in the practice match, clutching his knee in discomfort. He was later seen with his thigh strapped, and Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted
ahead of the tournament opener on Saturday that the injury does not look good.
Siraj will now join India’s pace attack alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, who are expected to be the frontline quicks. Hardik Pandya will continue in his role as the seam-bowling all-rounder, while Shivam Dube could chip in with a few overs if required.
Siraj was part of India’s title-winning T20 World Cup squad in 2024 but had a limited impact, picking up just one wicket in three matches at an average of 57, with an economy rate of 5.18. He was replaced by Arshdeep Singh during the latter stages of the tournament. The right-arm pacer has not played a T20I since July 2024 and has featured in 16 matches overall, claiming 14 wickets at an average of 32.28.
Siraj is unlikely to be included in India’s playing XI, as the bowling combination appears settled. India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the United States of America on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The co-hosts are placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Namibia, USA, and the Netherlands.
In another development, Sri Lanka have also been forced into a squad change, with Eshan Malinga ruled out of the tournament due to a shoulder injury sustained during the T20I series against England on February 1. Pramod Madushan has been named as his replacement. Madushan has represented Sri Lanka in 13 ODIs and eight T20Is.
