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Siraj's format in recent times.Since India's T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados in 2024, the Hyderabad pacer has featured in only one bilateral T20I series and played just a single match at the 2026 T20 World Cup, when Jasprit Bumrah was rested. Even in the ODI setup, Siraj has gradually slipped from being an automatic selection, missing out on the Champions Trophy squad and often returning to the side only when Bumrah was unavailable.131659267That is what made the next development even more curious. Just days after being picked, Siraj was withdrawn from the T20I squads under a workload management programme, with Prasidh Krishna drafted in as his replacement.The obvious question was: how does a bowler who is no longer a regular in India's white-ball plans suddenly need rest?The answer, it appears, lies not in the format he has been playing less, but in the one India have struggled to do without him.131659314While Siraj's white-ball opportunities have reduced, his importance to India's Test side has only grown. As The Times of India noted in an analysis of his recent workload, Siraj has quietly emerged as the country's most heavily used fast bowler, carrying a significant share of the burden while India's management carefully monitors Bumrah's workload.According to the analysis, Siraj has bowled 1,231 overs across international cricket and the IPL since January 2023 — the highest among all fast bowlers in the world during that period. Only all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has bowled more overs overall.131659391The bulk of that workload has come in the longest format. Siraj has delivered 744 overs in Test cricket across 30 matches since the start of 2023, accounting for nearly 60% of his total bowling load. By contrast, T20Is have barely contributed to that tally, with the pacer bowling just 30 overs across nine matches during the same period.The numbers also highlight how integral he has become to India's red-ball plans. India have played 33 Tests since January 2023, and Siraj has featured in 30 of them — an extraordinary rate of participation for a fast bowler in an era where workload management has become central to team planning.Bumrah's schedule, in comparison, has been carefully calibrated to ensure he remains fresh for marquee assignments. But while the premier fast bowler rested or recovered from injuries, Siraj often took on the extra responsibility.131659443His value was perhaps most evident during India's 2025 tour of England. Siraj was the only Indian seamer to play all five Tests, bowling 185 overs and finishing as the side's leading wicket-taker.Viewed through that lens, his withdrawal from two T20I series begins to make more sense. The matches themselves may be relatively low priority, but the months ahead are anything but. India face a packed international calendar with a heavy Test schedule, a substantial number of ODIs and preparations for the 2027 World Cup already under way.There is a certain irony to the story. Over the past year, conversations around Siraj have largely centred on whether he has become a fringe player in India's white-ball setup. The workload data tells a different story. Far from becoming less important, he has quietly become indispensable where it matters most.India's modern fast-bowling strategy has often revolved around preserving Bumrah for the biggest stages. In many ways, Siraj has been the one absorbing the cost of that strategy, taking the field whenever the team needed a dependable spearhead.His latest omission, therefore, may not be a reflection of where he stands in the pecking order. It could instead be an acknowledgement that India can no longer afford to overwork one of the busiest fast bowlers in world cricket.(With inputs from Times of India)