Arshdeep Singh’s travel vlogs on his YouTube channel have been trending since the onset of the IPL. Besides his broken English, which turns out to be hilarious at times, a peek into the behind-the-scenes moments in a cricketer’s life has attracted the maximum eyeballs.
In one of the episodes en route to Dharamsala, Arshdeep asked Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting about his plans after the season. The former Australia captain revealed he would be heading to the US for a few weeks on a coaching stint with Washington Freedom in the Major League Cricket (MLC) before putting it back to Arshdeep, “what about you”.
The left-arm seamer just turned his head, giggling before switching to a new topic. It was obvious Arshdeep didn’t wish to spill the beans on his future once the IPL ends.
The national selectors though have plans for him in place. The Ajit Agarkar-led panel has already zeroed in on Arshdeep to bolster India’s pace attack in the five-Test series in England.
Sources told The Telegraph that he has been sounded out by the selection committee and told to be battle-ready to make his Test debut in England. The ability to swing the ball both ways will suit his style in such conditions.
The 26-year-old has shown amazing consistency this season with 16 wickets in 11 innings at an economy of 8.70 and a strike-rate of 15.1. He has shown the maturity to control the swing in chilly conditions in Dharamsala when he ran through Lucknow Super Giants’ top order.
He has been shaping both ways for the lefthanders and the righthanders with his away swinging deliveries. A good rhythm coupled with his aggressive intent makes him a good bet and he has shown that he can prosper beyond the T20 format. His success in the Champions Trophy is a firm indication in that direction.
His variation has caught even the best in the business by surprise and he can prove to be a handful in England, especially with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami’s fitness under a cloud.
Arshdeep’s stint with Kent in the English County Championship in 2023, where he took 13 wickets in five games, helped him learn the benefits of hitting the good lengths. He ended up bowling 161.4 overs which proved to be a learning curve in terms of adjusting with the red ball. It was former head coach Rahul Dravid who inspired Arshdeep to try out his luck in the County Championship following his exploits in the limited-overs version.
He didn’t feature in the Test series in Australia. The selectors feel that a left-arm option will add variety to the attack and his experience with the Dukes ball for Kent will be a key aspect in England.
But can he bowl long spells in different situations in Test cricket? Can he maintain the same rhythm and intent towards the end of the day?
Ravi Shastri is not thinking along those lines. “I do not like this thing when they say someone like Arshdeep Singh is a ‘white-ball specialist’. I
will keep a close eye on his red-ball record as well and the number of overs he bowls,” the former head coach said on ‘The ICC Review’.
“If he can bowl 15-20 overs for me, he might very well be in the mix because he’s got the mindset. He is a thinking bowler, and I need a left-armer. It is just that...”
Arshdeep played two matches for Punjab during the last Ranji Trophy season. He has the resources to prosper and the selectors are willing to lead his transition into the longer format.