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Revealed- Why Arshdeep Singh is not playing India vs New Zealand 1st ODI?

Akshita Patel

Arshdeep Singh dropped from IND vs NZ 1st ODI [Source: @93Yorker/X.com]Arshdeep Singh dropped from IND vs NZ 1st ODI [Source: @93Yorker/X.com]

The India vs New Zealand ODI series began on Sunday in Vadodara. But one notable name missing from the Indian playing XI was Arshdeep Singh. 

The left-arm pacer, who has been one of India’s most reliable bowlers in white-ball cricket in recent years, was left out for the opening match.

His absence surprised many fans, especially with Jasprit Bumrah rested for the ODI leg.

Arshdeep Singh snubbed for Prasidh Krishna?

India won the toss and chose to bowl first on a flat surface, selecting three specialist pacers, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj, and three spinners, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.

India captain Shubman Gill confirmed after the toss that the team wanted to try different bowling combinations, especially with dew expected in the second innings.

It is highly likely that the decision was based purely on the combination and conditions. The pitch at the Vadodara Stadium looked good for batting, and India wanted extra pace and bounce in the attack. 

With six bowling options already in the XI, there was no space left for Arshdeep Singh, who is primarily used as a new-ball and death-overs specialist. 

There were no injury concerns reported for Arshdeep. He is completely fit and ready to be picked, which is an indication that this was more of a tactical selection than an enforced one.

Rotation policy and World Cup planning behind Arshdeep’s omission

India have been adopting a rotation policy in all formats, particularly in the ODI series, to develop a solid arsenal of fast bowlers for the 2027 World Cup. 

Harshit Rana has been impressive since debut, while Prasidh Krishna is looking for redemption and needs match time in the format.

They are also testing various combinations of bowlers in order to ascertain which bowling unit performs well in Indian conditions. This has led to Arshdeep Singh missing out, despite being a proven performer in T20Is.

It is also possible that Arshdeep will get his chances later in the series or in upcoming matches. 

However, the move has not gone down well with some fans, who feel that Arshdeep’s ability to swing the ball early and bowl accurate yorkers at the death makes him an ideal option in ODIs as well.

Repeated snubs raise questions despite a strong white-ball record

This is not the first time Arshdeep Singh has been overlooked in ODIs. Despite being the leading wicket-taker for India in T20Is, he has often found himself in and out of the 50-over side. 

Many believe that he has not been given a consistent run to settle into the format. Arshdeep has consistently performed well under pressure, especially during the T20 World Cup as well as bilateral series. 

His composure, left-arm angle, and experience in delivering under pressure are assets for the side. Yet, Arshdeep Singh continues to be rotated out whenever the team experiments with new fast bowlers.