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India’s tour of Ireland started in a way nobody really wanted, or expected. After taking home the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 a few months earlier, India basically rolled into the two-match T20I series as the big, clear favourites. Still, Ireland managed to turn it all around in the first game at Belfast, winning by 34 runs, and making it look kinda effortless.

 

That match also felt like the opening chapter of Shreyas Iyer’s time as India’s T20I captain. With a bunch of senior guys kept aside, the selectors moved a few younger players into the mix, before the more serious T20I phase against England.

 

Ireland partied, India’s bowling didn’t really. Harshit Rana, and Arshdeep Singh did bowl decently at stretches, but the rest of the unit couldn’t quieten Ireland in the death overs. After the loss, one thing a lot of people kept asking was pretty direct… why was Mohammed Siraj not in the playing XI?

 

Why Was Mohammed Siraj Not Available ?

 

Mohammed Siraj was first included in India’s squad for both the Ireland and England T20I series. But right before the tour, the BCCI pulled him back, as part of what they said was workload management, you know, keeping him fresh.

 

Siraj has been everywhere lately. He played in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, then IPL 2026, and also the one-off Test versus Afghanistan. The thinking was that extra cricket load before a long international stretch could push him too much, and not in a good way.

 

So, the call was to keep him fresh, fully fit, and ready for the bigger challenges coming next. Sure, India missed one of their more battle-tested fast bowlers, but the rest is supposed to give him enough breathing space to recover properly before returning.

 

Prasidh Krishna Misses His Chance

 

Once Siraj was out, Prasidh Krishna got the window to play. The right-arm pacer came into the series after a five-wicket haul in the last ODI against Afghanistan, and he looked like someone ready to make a mark.

 

But it didn’t quite work. Prasidh conceded 57 runs in his four overs, and only managed to pick up one wicket. His final over went a bit sideways, leaking 27 runs, which became the most expensive over by an Indian bowler against Ireland in T20Is.

 

During those closing overs, India lost the thread of the innings. Ireland kept going and ended up posting 182/9, a total that put pressure on the visitors.

 

Also Read | Why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Had No Child Mascot During India vs Ireland 1st T20I

 

Mohammed Siraj vs Prasidh Krishna in T20Is

 

Player	Matches	Runs Conceded	Wickets	Best Bowling	Economy	4 Wickets	5 Wickets
Mohammed Siraj	17	481	17	4/17	7.75	1	0
Prasidh Krishna	6	277	8	3/41	11.54	0	0

 

Could Siraj Have Changed the Match?

 

Nobody can say for sure if India would have won, even with Siraj in the XI, but you can argue his presence might have shifted things a little.

 

Siraj has grown into one of India’s more reliable fast bowlers in white-ball cricket. He often manages the new-ball phase well, and then handles the heat during the death overs too, when bats are swinging and mistakes cost quickly.

 

During IPL 2026, Siraj grabbed 19 wickets in 17 matches for Gujarat Titans. If that same control showed up on a Belfast wicket, India might have been able to slow Ireland down earlier, and maybe not let them build to a score like that.

 

Still, selectors also have to think about the bigger picture, not just one match. Resting Siraj cuts down the injury risk, and also creates room for players like Prasidh Krishna to collect international experience, even if it’s a tough lesson.

 

Even if Prasidh’s outing in Belfastwasn’t great, the management will likely want him to take notes from it. India have one more match left in the series, and the bowlers will be hoping to bounce back fast after that rocky beginning.

 

The defeat, of course, gives the selectors a lot to ponder too. Balancing the need to rest senior players while giving younger cricketers proper exposure is going to stay one of the hardest tasks, especially with future tournaments coming up soon.