Arshdeep Singh’s international debut was slightly delayed since Anil Kumble had predicted that the left-arm pacer was ready for the grind of international cricket during the last IPL.
Since the time the former India captain has been involved with Punjab Kings as director of cricket operations, Arshdeep has been a revelation. “He is only 23, and to show that kind of maturity and temperament has been remarkable,” was Kumble’s assessment of his performance.
Picked for the South Africa series at home and the twin tours of Ireland and England, Arshdeep had to wait for his debut, but gave his best when the opportunity finally came in Southampton on Thursday. He became the first Indian bowler to bowl a maiden in his debut T20I over since 2006, when Jhulan Goswami and Ajit Agarkar did it in India’s first women’s T20I (vs England at Derby, August 2006) and first men’s T20I (vs South Africa at Johannesburg, December 2006), respectively.
These are early days but Arshdeep’s success does bode well for the side. If he can replicate his IPL form on the international stage, it would only help widen India’s pool of promising pacers.
Arshdeep may have managed only ten wickets in 14 games in IPL 2022, but his real value remains in the Powerplay and death overs. His death-overs economy rate of 8.50 since IPL 2021 is the second best (after Jasprit Bumrah)among 22 bowlers who have bowled at least 15 overs. Additionally, his death over economy of 7.58 was second only to Bumrah’s 7.38 in the recent IPL.
On Thursday, Arshdeep finished with two for 18 in his 3.3 overs and that has put him in the reckoning for the
T20 World Cup. With Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami almost certainties, it remains to be seen who would be the other picks.
Arshdeep excels in the Powerplay and death overs and could be a handful in the conditions Down Under.
He will face stiff competition from the likes of Harshal Patel, Avesh Khan and Umran Malik.
The opportunity to play with Shami and Chris Jordan at Punjab Kings gave Arshdeep the opportunity to work on the technical as well as mental aspects. He may bowl in the 130kmph bracket but the ability to move the ball in the air and off the seam sets his skill set apart. Besides, he is well adept at the slower delivery and also uses the yorker with a meaningful bouncer for variation.
Having bowled to all the big names in the IPL, he is never overawed by the opposition. Moreover, he adapts quickly to situations and never repeats mistakes, an aspect that impressed Kumble.
A member of India’s Under-19 World Cup-winning squad in 2018, he has worked with Rahul Dravid, which he reckons as the “time of his life”. Having come through the junior India ranks at the U-19 and U-23 levels, Arshdeep could be form an ideal partnership with the likes of Bumrah, Bhuvi and Shami.
Not without reason, Kagiso Rabada, his Punjab Kings teammate for three seasons, called him the “best death-over bowler in the competition” in 2021.
With Umran not really setting the stage on fire in the two T20Is in Dublin, Arshdeep has a good chance to impress the selectors. The team management wishes to identify their core group for the World Cup by the end of the England and West Indies tours.
“Both Arshdeep and Umran should make the grade. Arshdeep for his specialisation at the start and the death while Umran for his ability to generate pace and bounce which will rattle batsmen on Australian pitches. Groom these youngsters now and they will be useful. The selectors need to be bold,” said a former national selector.
