• Home
  • Featured News
  • Arshdeep Singhs T20i Place Uncompromisable The Sooner India Realise The Better

Arshdeep Singh's T20I place uncompromisable; the sooner India realise the better

Debashis Sarangi

Arshdeep has found himself on the sidelines for no concrete reason [Source: AFP]Arshdeep has found himself on the sidelines for no concrete reason [Source: AFP]

The rain-affected first T20I between India and Australia grabbed the limelight for several reasons. Although fans from both sides could witness only 58 balls, with the match officials eventually calling off the fixture, the scintillating fireworks from Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav amazed the spectators. But even before the game began, India's surprising selection call, that sidelined ace speedster Arshdeep Singh from the playing XI, raised a million eyeballs. 

Arshdeep Singh's omission in Canberra raises eyebrows

Arshdeep Singh has been a prolific performer for India in T20I cricket, scalping 101 wickets in 65 T20Is. In fact, he is statistically India's most successful fast bowler in the format, having a considerably better strike rate than the one and only Jasprit Bumrah. 

Even if we keep Arshdeep's brilliant record aside, the fact that India were to face the Aussies in seam-friendly conditions vouched for his inclusion. However, the Indian think tank came up with a huge surprise, omitting Arshdeep and picking a spin-heavy bowling attack comprising Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy in Canberra. 

Arshdeep Singh: A rare presence in Indian T20I XI since WC final

Arshdeep Singh was one of the major reasons why India won the T20 World Cup last year. The left-arm pacer even outclassed Bumrah, scalping 17 wickets at a terrific average of 12.65 and an incredible strike rate of 7.17. 

However, a team management that always talks about backing its in-form players has certainly not translated its words into action in the case of Arshdeep, who has featured in just 13 of India's 28 T20I matches since the 2024 World Cup final in Barbados. 

Considering Arshdeep's overall T20I record, the fast bowler missing more than half of the total matches during the period doesn't sound logical. 

Asia Cup to Australia T20Is: What message does Arshdeep's exclusion deliver?

Before being benched for the first T20I against Australia, Arshdeep Singh mostly found himself out of the Indian side during the Asia Cup. While India played seven matches, Arshdeep featured in just two out of them. 

However, it felt like a smart strategic move back then, as the Indian management's knack for ensuring batting depth by including all-rounders like Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya shut the door for Arshdeep. 

Added to that, the pitches in Dubai, where the spinners enjoyed their time in the middle, bagging 72 out of 140 wickets, prompted the Indian team to unleash all three of Chakravarthy, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. 

But India found themselves short of an excuse after they sidelined Arshdeep from the first T20I against Australia despite the seam-friendly conditions in Canberra. It was actually baffling to see three spinners playing at a venue where the spinners have accounted for less than 30 per cent of the total T20I wickets. 

Although Harshit Rana was in the team to spearhead the bowling attack with Bumrah, a player of Arshdeep's calibre must've been India's first choice at one of the spinners' expense. 

Think about the larger picture, India!

Arshdeep Singh adds more value purely as a bowler to the Indian lineup than someone like Harshit Rana. While Rana's batting ability works in his favour, a superior death bowler in Arshdeep should be a must in India's lineup, keeping the T20 World Cup in mind. 

India are the hosts of the next T20 World Cup and will play a majority of their matches on home soil. The conditions in India will largely favour the batters, and in that case, the Men in Blue will need a proper fast bowler to assist Jasprit Bumrah, especially in the slog overs. While Arshdeep brings left-arm angle and quality swing bowling, his ability to keep the power-hitters under the pump with accurate yorkers and wily variations makes him an asset in the slog overs. 

Statistically, Arshdeep has 51 T20I wickets in the 16-20 overs phase, registering an outstanding strike rate of 15.7. So, his inclusion over someone like Rana will not only make sense but also add quality and depth to their bowling unit, helping them restrict the opposition on relatively placid wickets.