There is absolutely no doubting Arshdeep Singh’s quality in T20 cricket. Having made his international debut less than three years ago, he now needs only one more wicket to become the first Indian to take 100 – and from just 63 matches. This Indian Premier League (IPL) season, he has once again caught the eye, sitting in third place in the Purple-Cap standings after a stunning spell of 3/16 scuttled Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Dharamsala.
What made it even more impressive in a high-scoring contest was the fact that the next-most economical bowler was Akash Singh, who went for 30 from his four overs. Arshdeep dismissed Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran, LSG’s big three, effectively ending the contest inside five overs of the second innings.
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Given that he’s not even an ODI regular – he’s played just nine games since his debut in November 2022 – it would be quite a leap of faith for India’s selectors to even consider Arshdeep for the five-Test tour of England which starts in June. Ravi Shastri, who coached the team for over half a decade, however, is a fan.
“I'll be looking for a left-armer,” Shastri told the ICC Review. "I'll be keeping an eye on which left-armer is in good form, and try and squeeze him in there as the sixth (bowling) option.
“It could be anyone. It could even be a white-ball specialist. I don't like this thing when they say someone like Arshdeep Singh is a ‘white-ball specialist’. I'll keep a close eye on his red-ball record as well and the number of overs he bowls. If he can bowl 15-20 overs for me, he might very well be in the mix because he's got the mindset. He's a thinking bowler and I need a left-armer.”
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PBKS pacer's red-ball numbers
In the last Ranji Trophy season, Arshdeep played just twice for Punjab, taking four wickets. It was Gurnoor Brar that was the most impressive pacer on view. In 2023, at the conclusion of the IPL, Arshdeep had a five-game stint with a struggling Kent side. He took 13 wickets in five matches, though neither the average (41.76) or economy rate (3.36) suggested a world-beater.
Overall, Arshdeep has taken 66 wickets in red-ball cricket at a modest average of 30.37.
On the flip side, you can see where Shastri is coming from. June and July in England usually means the new ball will swing appreciably, and with Mohammed Shami struggling for rhythm and form, back-up may well be needed. And the last time India won a series in England (2007), it was Zaheer Khan’s left-arm pace that set up victory at Trent Bridge.
Shastri and Virat Kohli were mocked when Jasprit Bumrah was given his first Test cap in Cape Town in January 2018. Back then, Bumrah too was viewed as a white-ball cricketer. Now, the thought of a Test team without him fills most Indians with dread. It remains to be seen if Arshdeep, should the selectors take a chance on him, can make a similar impact.
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