It is still not clear why Arshdeep Singh is not able to find a spot in the India Playing XI despite being the most sorted Indian pacer in the shortest format of the game ever since his debut.
He was also benched in the Asia Cup 2025 opener, and his return remains questionable after India’s promising show.
India won the Asia Cup opener in a commanding fashion; however, one major decision that shocked all was Arshdeep Singh being benched from the Indian T20I side, despite his fantastic record in the shortest format of the game.
Arshdeep is India’s highest wicket-getter with 99 wickets to his name, having made his debut back in 2021. In such a short period, he has surpassed several greats, including former pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and his current teammate Jasprit Bumrah. He is just a step away from reaching a major milestone for India with 100 T20I wickets.
What made Gautam Gambhir drop Arshdeep Singh from the Asia Cup playing XI?
It is not very clear why left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is constantly being ignored by Gautam Gambhir despite no other bowler in the side bringing in what he brings along as a left-armer, which has been the long quest for the Indian side.
He warmed the bench for the entire England tour and was not seen in the Asia Cup opener as well; however, what made him sit out was it a niggle or the team management trying to switch to an XI without the ace pacer? Moreover, it was noted that Arshdeep, before the Asia Cup, had topped the Bronco test.
It was expected that Arshdeep Singh would remain an automatic choice within the Indian team in the Asia Cup; however, when Jasprit Bumrah was the only frontline pacer in the side, Gambhir’s antics once again shocked all.
Arshdeep Singh’s energetic drills could not secure him a spot in the XI
Before the match against the UAE, Arshdeep spent most of his time alongside the strength and conditioning coach, Adrian Le Roux, during India’s net sessions at the ICC Academy.
While Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Kuldeep Yadav, all three who were supposed to bowl in the opening game, opted to rest for the evening, it was Arshdeep alongside Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel who starred in the optional session.
However, other than bowling, Arshdeep looked focused on his batting as well and did a lot of fitness drills under Le Roux and the bowling coach Morne Morkel. He did short sprints, sprint repeats, and strides for close to an hour and at times it felt as if he was doing some ‘Return to Play’ fitness drills, as per a report in PTI.
Another point to be noted was that if Arshdeep had been enduring an injury, then the physio Kamlesh Jain would have closely monitored the developments, but that was not the case.
“Arsh is a bundle of energy. He is a compulsive training freak. One need not read much into his routines. He had recently aced Bronco Test (Sprint Repeats) at the NCA,” a source told PTI.
Gambhir’s craze for batting depth could cost either Arshdeep Singh or Kuldeep Yadav their spot in the side
This is now an open secret that Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir always has the knack of having more batting depth in his side, as he depends on an all-rounder who can contribute in either way.
However, Gambhir’s ideals against a team like the UAE to have batting depth till no. 8 seem irrational. Moreover, if this continues, then one of the players between the two, Arshdeep Singh or spinner Kuldeep Yadav, would have to miss their spot in the XI.