Why Arshdeep Singh Plays Less Despite Being India's Top T20I Wicket-Taker
Arshdeep Singh made a notable comeback to the Indian T20I side, taking 3 wickets for 35 runs and earning the Player of the Match award in his third T20 International at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Sunday. Despite holding the record as India's highest wicket-taker in T20Is with 104 wickets, he has often remained on the bench.
Limited Opportunities Explained by Bowling Coach Morne Morkel
Indian bowling coach Morne Morkel explained the limited playing opportunities, especially with fewer games before the T20 World Cup. He emphasized the importance of assessing how players handle pressure when they do get chances.
“It is not easy. There will always be disappointment in terms of players and selection, but that is something at times that, as a player, is uncontrollable.”
“For us, from our side, we just keep on asking them to work hard and try hard and be ready for when they do get the opportunity. There are limited games now leading into the T20 World Cup, so it is essential for us to see how the players can react in certain situations under pressure; otherwise, it will be unknown to us. So it is a bit of playing those sorts of games and then still having the mindset to win the game of cricket.”
Team Combination Challenges
Questions have arisen around the team combinations being tried by India, including several changes to the batting order in the ongoing T20I series against Australia.
“You need to have options available. I think every team, if you look across the world, is playing around with options.”
Summary
Arshdeep Singh’s limited game time is influenced by the reduced number of matches before the T20 World Cup and the team's need to evaluate pressure handling and tactical options.