Have India unearthed an all-season bowler in Arshdeep Singh?

Have India found an all-season bowler in Arshdeep Singh? Arshdeep Singh gets his maiden call for One-Day Internationals (ODIs) on India tour of New Zealand 2022.

Arshdeep has taken 10 wickets from 5 games in World Cup 2022 (Photo: ©Associated Press)

India have been long searching for a quality left-arm pacer, something which eluded them since the retirement of legendary pacers, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra. Left-arm pacers for a long time have been considered a great option to have in the pace bowling department for any India.

We have seen in the past, how teams like New Zealand, Australia and Pakistan have utilised the services of left-arm seamers who have made a more than sizeable difference to the potency of their team’s bowling attacks across formats over the years. But the men in blue never quite found a potent left-arm pacer, leaving a period in the first and second decades of the 21st century when Zaheer Khan along with Ashish Nehra, Irfan Pathan and Rudra Pratap Singh did make a considerable impact; it is fair to say that after the retirement of these legends, the search for a genuine left-arm pacer who could be a match-winner in his own right is still an ongoing pursuit.

The arrival of youngster Arshdeep Singh has brightened the picture a fair bit for India as they may have seemingly filled that desperate void. The talented pacer hailing from Punjab has already become one of India’s most important cogs in the T20I bowling attack in a short international career thus far, and is currently the most successful bowler in the team’s ongoing T20 World Cup campaign in Australia with 10 wickets.

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Arshdeep Singh gets his maiden ODI call (Source: ©Associated Press)

What makes Arshdeep a rare commodity?

The 23-year-old pacer has everything one could ask for in a fast bowler. Though not quick by any means, Arshdeep Singh can be a handful for any opening batter owing to his immaculate line & length and his ability to swing the ball both ways. He has a good seam presentation and is one of the best exponents of the yorker in the country.

Arshdeep is called upon by the captain time and again, whenever there is a need of a breakthrough for the team. Be it with the new ball or at the end overs, Arshdeep has been the man in recent times for the team.

These qualities have made him the go to bowler for India skipper Rohit Sharma in the shortest format of the game. If his wicket-taking ability with the new ball has been sensational, his attitude in the end overs makes him stand apart from the rest. The balance that he brings to the table is certainly unmatched and has made fans almost forget the absence of Jasprit Bumrah in the ongoing T20 World Cup.

In his short career, Arshdeep has been entrusted upon by his skipper the most crucial overs and he has seldom disappointed. His last over bowing performance in the Asia Cup (against Sri Lanka and Pakistan) though coming in losing causes showed he has nerves of steel after all the off-field drama that ensued with the dropped catch.

And come the world cup, Arshdeep has shown that he is in a league of his own, courtesy his opening spells with the new ball against strong South Africa and Pakistan top-order batting line up and his calmness while defending a target in the final over against Bangladesh depicted his versatility as a bowler. In short, Arshdeep has become one of the most dependable players in the Rohit Sharma-led team.

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Arshdeep Singh plays for Punjab Kings in IPL (Images ©BCCI/IPL)

From IPL to T20Is to ODIs – The Journey has just begun for young Arshdeep

Arshdeep Singh has grown from strength to strength since his debut appearance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and is on the verge of becoming an all-format bowler for India - a man for all seasons in any given condition.

Having impressed so much in the T20Is, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee has picked Arshdeep Singh in India’s ODI squad that is set to tour New Zealand shortly after the World Cup. This shows the selectors are clearly envisioning him to be a clear cut option for the other white-ball format, i.e., the ODIs and want to give him decent exposure before the Cricket World Cup 2023 scheduled to be held in India late next year.

These opportunities will only help Arshdeep to develop further, widen his portfolio and enhance his skills while playing in different situations. He has definitely gained the trust of the team management with his proven antics with ball in hand in such a short span of time.

It won’t be surprising not just to see the left-arm pacer don India colours during the upcoming 50-overs World Cup, but also represent the country for a long time as an all-format bowler in the years to come.

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