He last played a T20I match for India on January 31.
It’s rare to witness a player with the most wickets for the country and in a purple patch being left out of the playing XI. But it’s happening in the team India camp as they left out Arshdeep Singh for their Asia Cup 2025 opener against the UAE on September 9. India bundled out the hosts for a meagre total of 57 runs and chased down the target in just 27 balls. However, captain Suryakumar Yadav and the team management faced a lot of criticism from the fans and experts for not selecting Arshdeep. He is on the verge of becoming the first Indian to take 100 wickets in the shortest format of the game.
India’s next match is against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai.
Pakistan batters have been struggling against the left-arm seamers since the T20 World Cup 2024. In 19 matches, the Men in Green has lost 30 wickets against left-arm quicks, averaging a poor 18.80 and a modest strike rate of 133.65. Additionally, Arshdeep’s numbers against the Men in Green have been staggering. He has taken seven wickets against neighbours in just four outings at an exceptional economy rate of 7.85.
The 26-year-old has quickly become the regular of India’s white-ball team within three years and arguably the main reason behind his death bowling abilities. Arshdeep Singh is the most economical fast bowler for India in the death overs, who has bowled in at least five matches.
The Punjab pacer holds the record for second most wickets (27) for India in T20 World Cups after Ravichandran Ashwin, who leads the list with 32 wickets. He is also the third leading wicket-taker for India since the T20 World Cup 2024 after two-spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi. Arshdeep has picked up 20 wickets in 11 matches, averaging an impressive 15.15 and at an economy of 7.87. Out of these 20 scalps, 13 of these wickets have come in powerplay, with no other bowler managing to cross 7. He has also bowled 106 dot balls, most by an Indian pacer.
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Additionally, the matches are starting half an hour late to India’s schedule due to heat. This is expected to help fast bowlers like him, who can swing the ball both ways under the lights. Plus, he along with Jasprit Bumrah make a formidable right and left-arm pacers pair. In 10 matches, Arshdeep and Bumrah have played together, the duo has taken 38 wickets, 19 each, at impressive economy rate of 7.34 and 4.32, striking at almost every 12th ball. The duo played a crucial role in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, with Arshdeep claiming joint most wickets in the tournament and Bumrah earning Player of the Tournament award for being the most economical pacer. What works for them is that they Both are wicket-takers and both exceptionally good in all phases of the match.
Hence, India should bring in Arshdeep in the mix to bolster their bowling attack at the expense of Axar Patel, who has underwhelming numbers against the neighbours. In two matches against the Salman Agha-led side, the left-arm spinner has managed just one wicket in three overs and conceded runs at 10.66 rpo.
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