"As long as the wicket is flat and bowlers are medium-pace, I love it"- Arshdeep Singh opens up on his batting ahead of 3rd IND vs SA T20I
Team India pacer Arshdeep Singh said he loves to bat against medium-pace and spin bowling and wished to make more contributions with the willow ahead of the third T20I against South Africa. With the four-match T20I series tied at 1-1, India and South Africa will play each other at Centurion on Wednesday, November 13.
While Arshdeep's T20I bowling has gone through the roof, the left-arm pacer has come in to bat at No. 8 in the ongoing series. The 25-year-old smashed a massive six during his six-ball stay in the second T20I.
Talking about his batting in the press conference on the eve of the third ODI, Arshdeep said via India Today:
"As long as the wicket is flat and bowlers are medium-pace, I love it. I love a half-volley from a spinner. Yes, I am trying my best to contribute with the bat whenever I get a chance. Even in the nets, I challenge myself to improve in all three aspects of the game—batting, bowling, and fielding. The idea has always been to excel in all three areas, and it’s the same for me personally."
Arshdeep averages a respectable 10.83 at a strike rate of 116.07 in 58 T20Is with five boundaries and three sixes in 56 deliveries faced.
"He has helped me enormously in taking wickets by creating pressure from the other end" - Arshdeep Singh on Jasprit Bumrah
Arshdeep Singh credited fellow pacer Jasprit Bumrah's ability to create pressure for his bowling success in T20Is.
The Madhya Pradesh-born cricketer has been in incredible wicket-taking form in T20Is with 89 scalps at an average of 18.68 in 58 outings. Arshdeep is already joint third all-time with Bumrah among Indian bowlers in T20 wickets.
"I have told this before as well: I have had a really good bowling partner in Jasprit Bhai. He has helped me enormously in taking wickets by creating pressure from the other end. Credit goes to him. And the main thing is how well I am able to adapt to the conditions and match situation is important. I look to attack the batters early, and in the death, I look to outsmart the batters and bring the game back towards us," Arshdeep said in the same press conference.
"I just try to enjoy the present and have fun on the field and off the field. That's been my mantra. Playing along with some legends of the game and learning from them about mental and physical preparation... that's why I feel I have grown my game. I am trying to learn from wherever I can and do well for the team," he added.
Arshdeep was the joint-leading wicket-taker (17) of the 2024 T20 World Cup which India won.