Mumbai: North Zone’s opening game in the Duleep Trophy was Arshdeep Singh’s first competitive match since his last IPL game on June 3. He was part of the Test squad in England in the summer but didn’t get a game.
In India’s next international assignment, the T20 Asia Cup, the left-arm pacer is being seen as a key player, being India’s most successful bowler in the format with 99 wickets in 63 T20Is.
It is always tough to play a competitive game after a big gap as it takes some time to shake off the rust and find rhythm. After the North Zone versus East Zone game being played at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru, Arshdeep will head to the Asia Cup in the UAE. It remains to be seen how quickly he adapts to the demands of international cricket.
“It’s nothing like that. In the last Test (at the Oval against England), I started training with a white ball. I didn’t know that there was a Duleep Trophy match in between. The workload was properly managed,” Arshdeep told the media.
“I don’t know how many thousands of balls I bowled in practice (during the England series). There was no lack of bowling. At the end of the day, white or red ball, you just play. You just have to play cricket and you have to enjoy it. I got a chance to play here and will next play with a white ball (Asia Cup, starting on September 9). The aim is to have a lot of overs under the belt,” the skilful left-arm pacer said.
Though Arshdeep got just one wicket, his objective of bowling enough overs was achieved in the inter-zonal game. Sharing the new ball with Harshit Rana, the Punjab pacer went on to bowl 17 overs and said he was satisfied with the outing.
“(This game) I felt really good. The last couple of months I was with the (Indian) team, trained a lot, bowled a lot and worked a lot with the strength and conditioning (coach). Here, I bowled a decent long spell, 17 overs. The ball is coming out well and the body felt good. Not many wickets, but yes, they will come as well in the future,” said Arshdeep.
For the players not getting game time while being in the squad, the key is to find ways to stay sharp. So, what’s his mindset when he is not playing?
“The training is almost the same. You just put in more work when you are not playing. More overs, more strength work, more training so that whenever you get the chance, you are ready and fully fit to go.
“So, when you are not playing, you just try to push the limits and try to see what all you can achieve in your skills and physically as well,” he said.
Arshdeep has transformed himself into a wily T20 bowler with good variations and a knack of reading the batters. The 26-year-old said it is about reacting to the situation and adapting.
“It depends on how quickly you adapt. In today’s cricket, a batsman can hit against the red ball and he can play conservatively against a white ball. So, it depends on how you can adapt according to the situation, according to the wicket, according to the weather, (you have to) decide when you have to put in the effort and when you have to contain yourself. So (it is) just about how you can adapt.”