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Arshdeep Singh In India's Asia Cup XI Is No-Brainer; BCCI Must Know There's No Other Way

Rajgeeta Yadav

Arshdeep Singh [Source: AFP]Arshdeep Singh [Source: AFP]

When India took the field against UAE in their opening game of Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium, fans were shocked. Not because of the result, India brushed past the Muhammad Waseem's team easily, but because of one big omission. Arshdeep Singh, India’s number one T20I wicket-taker, was left out of the playing XI.

For many, this decision was simply unexplainable. Instead of backing their most consistent fast bowler, the team management went in with only Jasprit Bumrah as a specialist pacer, supported by pace-bowling all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, alongside a heavy spin attack. 

Against a side like UAE, resting Bumrah and allowing Arshdeep to lead the pace department seemed like the logical move. After all, workload management is much more important, and Bumrah should have been preserved for bigger battles like India vs Pakistan on September 14.

The Arshdeep Question

The real question is: what has Arshdeep done wrong to be sidelined like this? Since his T20I debut against England in 2022, the left-arm pacer has grown from strength to strength. He has delivered in crunch moments, troubled the best batters in the world, and picked up 99 wickets in just 63 innings. 

In fact, he has played against top nations like England, Australia, and South Africa and never looked out of place.

Despite these achievements, Arshdeep has often been overlooked. Even during the Champions Trophy, which India won by defeating New Zealand in Dubai, he was not in the scheme of things. Later, when he was picked for the Test squad against England, he didn’t get a debut cap. To make matters worse, an untimely injury during that series further delayed his progress. 

Notably, his appearances for India have been rare, with his last outing coming in the England white-ball series earlier this year.

Meanwhile, it is also important to note that Arshdeep Singh brings a very rare and proven skill to the table, death bowling. In modern T20 era, that skill can often decide the outcome of a match. There will be times when pitches offer something extra to pacers, and India must not rely on spin heavy attack. Instead, they must have a dependable option alongside Bumrah to capitalise the most on those conditions.

Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube, while useful, cannot be relied upon to deliver consistent yorkers or slower-ball variations in the final overs. In high-stakes matches, Bumrah needs a trusted partner at the death, and Arshdeep is the best candidate India has for that role.

Experts too have questioned this move. Former India spinner R Ashwin openly said that India didn’t really need extra batting depth against the UAE and could have easily slotted Arshdeep in the playing XI. Meanwhile, former opener Aakash Chopra openly stated the stats, and highlighted Arshdeep’s numbers are actually better than Bumrah’s in T20Is.

If one puts a question on Arshdeep Singh's form, let’s put it in perspective, Arshdeep Singh has taken 99 wickets with a strike rate 13.2. On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah took 90 wickets with a strike rate of strike rate 16.9

Yes, Bumrah has the edge in economy rate (6.27 vs Arshdeep’s 8.29), but Arshdeep has been India’s go-to wicket-taker, especially in pressure games. In fact, he was one of the standout performers during the T20 World Cup 2024 that India won recently against South Africa. 

Notably, India may have crushed UAE, but that’s not the point. Cricket is not just about winning easy matches, it’s about preparing for the big ones. Arshdeep Singh is just one wicket away from becoming the first Indian bowler to claim 100 T20I wickets. To bench him at such a stage feels unfair, both to the player and to the fans who see him as India’s future pace spearhead.

The BCCI and team management must find a way to consistently include Arshdeep Singh in the playing XI. He is too good to be warming the bench and India cannot afford to let such talent go underutilised. 

As the saying goes, “You don’t drop your match-winners, you build your team around them.”

For India to defend their Asia Cup crown and prepare for future global tournaments, keeping Arshdeep Singh in the T20I side is not just an option; it’s a no-brainer.