A bowler with 104 T20I wickets from just 66 appearances, Arshdeep Singh has played only three matches in the format since September. That may seem surprising, but the Indian team management is keener on trying out different combinations, looking at the “bigger picture”.
That’s what bowling coach Morne Morkel said on Wednesday, the eve of the fourth T20I against Australia at Carrara in the Gold Coast.
With a game time of just two matches in the Asia Cup, Arshdeep, one of India’s consistent performers in the shortest version, wasn’t included in the first two T20Is of this five-match series. When listed in the playing XI for the third game in Hobart, the left-arm quick registered match-defining figures of 3/35, including two early wickets that played a crucial role in India’s series-levelling victory on Sunday.
However, the team management feels Arshdeep is “experienced” enough to understand the actual reason behind the decisions.
“Arshdeep is experienced, and he knows that we are looking at the bigger picture and trying out different combinations. He knows he is a world-class bowler and has taken most wickets in the Powerplay,” Morkel said.
“We know how valuable he is to the team, but we also need to look at other combinations, and he understands that,” the former South Africa pacer added.
The bigger picture, which Morkel spoke about, seems to be the T20 World Cup at home next year. It’s always good to try out different combinations before a world meet. But is it fair enough to do so at the expense of a bowler who has consistently delivered for his country?
Captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir may need to do a little bit of thinking on this matter.
Morkel, however, conceded that for a bowler of Arshdeep’s calibre, it hasn’t exactly been easy to have so little game time of late. “It is not easy. There will always be disappointment in terms of players and selection, but that is something at times that, as a player, is uncontrollable,” Morkel said, trying to rationalise the decisions taken.
With only 10 T20Is left after this Australia series, the coaching staff’s only advice to players is to put their best foot forward in pressure situations. “For us, from our side, we just keep on asking them to work hard and be ready for when they do get the opportunity. There are limited games now leading into the T20 World Cup.
“It is essential for us to see how the players react in certain situations under pressure. Otherwise, it will be unknown to us. So, it is a bit of playing those sorts of games and then still having the mindset to win games of cricket,” said Morkel.
For the bowling coach, it is only fair that the team management checks multiple options. “You need to have options available.
“Every team, if you look across the world, is playing around with options,” he said.
“In this game, you need to be adaptable. You need to know where certain players can give you options in different roles. And if you are not going to try those roles and
see how they handle the pressure in those situations, you are never going to know,” Morkel explained.
“You do not want to sit two years down the line and say, ‘If only we tried that, or give this combination a bit more time, it would have developed.’ So yes, it’s about playing it smartly.”