"Are we saving Arshdeep for the 2027 World Cup" - Fans slam Indian management for benching left-arm pacer in 2025 Champions Trophy match vs Bangladesh
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh didn't find a place in India's playing XI for their opening match of the ongoing 2025 Champions Trophy against Bangladesh. The contest is taking place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday, February 20.
Arshdeep featured in just one match of India's recently concluded three-match home ODI series against England. The 26-year-old registered figures of 5-0-33-2 in the third fixture, which was a dead rubber, as the hosts had already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead.
He has been a regular feature in India's T20I team. In January, he surpassed Yuzvendra Chahal to become the country's leading wicket-taker in T20Is. He tops the list with 99 scalps across 63 innings.
The Indian team management preferred Harshit Rana over Arshdeep for the team's opening encounter of the 2025 Champions Trophy. Rana made his ODI debut in the home series against England, where he finished with six wickets in three matches.
Several fans took to social media, expressing displeasure with Rana getting the nod over Arshdeep. Here are some of the top reactions on X:
A few fans pointed out that Arshdeep was picked in India's 2025 Champions Trophy squad over Mohammed Siraj, while Rana wasn't even part of the preliminary squad. He was added to the roster as Jasprit Bumrah's replacement after the speedster was ruled out due to a lower back injury.
"They chose arshdeep over siraj but still harshit is in the playing xi. I'll never understand the think tank.@/harshit when you're getting everything served on your platter please make it count," wrote a fan.
"It's hard to understand how Harshit Rana plays ahead of Arshdeep Singh," commented another.
"Harshit was a replacement pick. Arshdeep was there in squad earlier. What's going on," remarked yet another.
Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bat first. Here are the two playing XIs for the match:
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Shami, Harshit Rana
Bangladesh: Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Towhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman
"I would go with the left-armer" - Ricky Ponting picked Arshdeep Singh over Harshit Rana in his preferred India playing XI
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting opined that Arshdeep Singh would be a good fit in India's playing XI for the 20205 Champions Trophy in Jasprit Bumrah's absence.
He suggested that Arshdeep, being a left-armer, would trouble the right-handed batters with the new ball. The cricketer-turned-commentator also emphasized that the Punjab Kings (PBKS) seamer was a better death bowler compared to Harshit Rana.
Speaking to the ICC, Ponting said:
"I would go with the left-armer and I'd go with Arshdeep (to replace Bumrah). We know how good he's been in T20 cricket and if you think about the skill set, he probably provides a similar skill set to what Bumrah does with new ball and death overs and that's what India will miss.
"That's taking nothing away from Harshit Rana because I think he has got a lot of talent and we know what he can do with the new ball, but I don't think his death skills are as good as what Arshdeep Singh’s are. And just that left-arm variation, someone that can bowl left-arm with a new ball and move the new ball. We know how important they are and crucial they can be, especially in big tournaments when you've got a lot of right-handers at the top. I would personally lean that way if I was India."
India are placed in Group A of the 2025 Champions Trophy alongside Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand.