Former India National Cricket Team off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is extremely disappointed to see the left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh face constant snubs despite being one of the best bowlers in the world.
Ravichandran Ashwin slammed the Gautam Gambhir-led team management over the non-selection of Arshdeep Singh and urged for the inclusion of the pacer in the T20I playing XI.
See, Arshdeep Singh is your leading wicket-taker – Ravichandran Ashwin
It won’t be wrong to say that the Punjab speedster Arshdeep Singh is the most unfortunate cricketer in the world at the moment. He possesses all the talent required in the world to become a successful all-format pacer, but somehow, he hasn’t been regularly playing for India.
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Arshdeep Singh has been part of India’s squad across all three formats, but has been kept on the bench, rather than being given a place in the playing XI.
The most shocking thing currently happening with him is the non-selection in India’s T20I playing XI. Notably, he is the first and only Indian bowler to bag 100 T20I wickets, and despite his success, he has faced constant snubs.
He wasn’t India’s first-choice pacer in the Asia Cup, and the spin-friendly pitches were given as the reason behind his exclusion, but now in Australia, he has also been warming the bench despite the absolutely pace-friendly conditions.
Speaking on his official YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his anger and said that India should experiment with Jasprit Bumrah, who has workload management issues, and play Arshdeep regularly. He stated:
“If you want to experiment, then rest Bumrah. Bumrah is the one with workload management issues. You can rest Bumrah. See, Arshdeep Singh is your leading wicket-taker. When we will play the T20 World Cup, there will be some dew. I really hope there’s no dew because dew is a very dampening factor. But this Arshdeep debate is definitely something that’s very sad because Arshdeep Singh deserves his place.”
Arshdeep becomes your first-choice bowler on that team list – Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin further said that the 26-year-old left-arm pacer should be India’s first-choice pacer in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, and his exclusion is just baffling. Ravichandran Ashwin said:
“My point is, Arshdeep Singh’s name should be the second name on your fast bowlers’ list when Bumrah is playing. And if Bumrah isn’t playing, then Arshdeep becomes your first-choice bowler on that team list. I just cannot understand how Arshdeep Singh keeps missing out from the XI in this side. I really don’t get it.”
“Of course, Harshit Rana had a decent day with the bat, he came in and batted reasonably well. It’s not about him at all. It’s about Arshdeep. The way he performed in the 2024 T20 World Cup, and yet since then, he has consistently found ways to stay out of the team. He’s been benched so many times when he should have been playing.”
He actually lost a bit of rhythm – Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin further highlighted the importance of giving game time to a champion bowler like Arshdeep and stated that the lack of it would make him rusty. He stated:
“He actually lost a bit of rhythm. The last time we saw him, during the Asia Cup, he bowled well, came back nicely in a spell, but he looked rusty. And your champion bowler will start looking rusty if you don’t give him game time.
“So it’s a really, really tough situation if you’re Arshdeep. I genuinely hope he starts getting the chances he deserves, man. He deserves to be there. And it’s not about someone else, that’s his spot. Please, play him.”
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