Asia Cup 2022: 3 reasons why Arshdeep Singh should be backed by India
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has been touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket. The Punjab Kings (PBKS) bowler recently suffered his first major setback with the Indian side, facing a lot of backlash after India's loss to Pakistan on Sunday in the Super 4 of the Asia Cup 2022.
Arshdeep dropped Asif Ali's catch in the high-octane contest. The Pakistan batter made full use of the opportunity and played a match-winning cameo of 16 off eight balls. Social media brutally lashed out at the youngster, opining he should be dropped from the side.
The Indian think tank under Rahul Dravid's leadership has shown a likable ability to stick with their players in tough times recently. There's little doubt that they will do the same for Arshdeep. Here, we take a look at three reasons why the Punjab pacer should be backed by the side.
#1 Arshdeep Singh has shown tremendous temperament
Arshdeep Singh is ice cool. Good find for Indian cricket @arshdeepsinghh #IndvsWI
Dropping catches is part and parcel of the game. It's a setback that's happened to the best of the best players in the game of cricket. What is more important is how one bounces back from those setbacks. Arshdeep, for one, looked unfazed after missing the opportunity.
He could have easily lost his cool and dished out an ordinary final over, which would only result in more berating from the fans. But the left-arm seamer wasn't focused on that. Despite India losing the game, he delivered a sensational final over to make it a close contest.
Holding his nerve in a pressure situation like this reflects quite well on the 23-year-old. This isn't the first time he's shown it either. In IPL 2021, he was tasked with defending 13 runs in the final over against the Rajasthan Royals.
With Sanju Samson cruising along on an unbeaten century, it looked like he would seal the deal for his side. However, Arshdeep fought back despite conceding a maximum on the fourth ball of his final over. Sticking to his plans, he executed the wide yorkers with a 7-2 off-side field to eventually win the tie for his side.
When clutch moments arise, Arshdeep has shown that he can be the man to do the job.
#2 Variety as a left-arm seamer
India have been searching for a left-arm seamer for their white-ball setup for a while now. The likes of Khaleel Ahmed and Barinder Sran have also got their opportunities but haven't been able to make the most of them.
The Men in Blue haven't had a proper left-arm pacer since the likes of RP Singh and Zaheer Khan. Arshdeep can be the answer to filling that void. We've witnessed how pivotal left-arm seamers can be in the modern game, especially against India.
Not only does he offer a new variety to the bowling department alongside the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Harshal Patel, he is one of the best death bowlers in the country as well.
#3 He can operate in all phases of the game
Ravi Bishnoi (6.5 eco) and Arshdeep Singh (7 eco) are the only two bowlers from India to have an economy rate under 10 tonight.
An issue India have had in the shortest format is the lack of bowlers who can operate in all phases of the game. The likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami, and Deepak Chahar are at their wicket-taking best with the new ball, while Harshal Patel operates in the latter stages of the innings.
Apart from Jasprit Bumrah, no other bowler can successfully operate at any stage of the game. Arshdeep, however, belongs in the same category. He can be a handy option in the powerplay with his ability to swing the new ball.
At the death, he has already shown how good he can be in the IPL. With an economy rate of under 7.30 in his T20I and IPL career so far, he is a captain's dream option alongside Bumrah. In the IPL, he has an economy rate of under six runs per over at the death.
Arshdeep has the potential to be one of India's top bowlers and his performances with the ball speak for themselves. Even in the most recent contest against Pakistan, his figures of 27/1 stood out. Only Ravi Bishnoi had a better economy rate (6.50) amongst the Indian bowlers.