"Taken most wickets in powerplay, but..." Morne Morkel Reveals Reason Behind Benching Arshdeep Singh in T20Is
Arshdeep Singh won the Player of the Match award in the third T20I against Australia during India's 2025 tour. After a heavy loss in the second T20I, India bounced back in Hobart, becoming the first team to defeat Australia in a T20I at that venue. They secured a five-wicket win chasing a target of 187 runs.
Arshdeep, India’s leading T20I wicket-taker, returned to the playing XI after missing the initial two matches and made an immediate impact. He dismissed Travis Head in his first over and Josh Inglis in his second. Later in the death overs, he took the wicket of Marcus Stoinis, who had scored a threatening fifty. He finished with bowling figures of 3/35.
Many questioned why India kept Arshdeep on the bench during the first two games, especially given how well the Australian conditions suited his bowling style. Ahead of the fourth T20I, India's bowling coach Morne Morkel explained the strategy behind Arshdeep's selection and his role in the team.
The fourth T20I is scheduled for Thursday, 6th November, at the Carrara Oval in Queensland. India might continue with the winning lineup from the previous match.
Morne Morkel admitted, “The experience and skillset Arshdeep brings to the team make dropping him a very tough decision for the management.”
Author's summary: Arshdeep Singh’s benching despite his impressive powerplay success reflects strategic team decisions, with coach Morkel emphasizing the challenge in making selection choices.