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Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin minced no words as he tore into the management headed by coach Gautam Gambhir for keeping Arshdeep Singh out of the playing XI for the side’s Asia Cup 2025 opener against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Considering the left-arm pacer warmed the bench earlier this week, it’s unlikely that he would make his way back into the side for the next match against Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
Ahead of the crucial tie, India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate admitted that it is unlikely that the team will change the starting XI as they don’t want to tinker with the winning combination.
Arshdeep is the leading wicket-taker for India in T20Is with 99 scalps to his name. Hence, it is no surprise that Ashwin was left fuming after the pacer was left out. It must be stated that India went in with just a frontline pacer against the UAE (Jasprit Bumrah), and Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube were the other two pace options.
Speaking about Arshdeep, Ashwin cited the examples of other teams and how they always go with the best bowling options. It is just India that consistently wants to go in with batting depth, leaving specialist bowlers out.
“I am not sure Shivam Dube is your third seamer. This is not about Shivam Dube. This is about having a quality bowler in your lineup. I agree that batting depth is important in T20s. Just look at the other teams, Mitchell Starc, Kagiso Rabada, Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer, they all can swing the bat. Actually, these teams have worked on the batting of those who are proper bowlers. But only in India do we think about those players who are batters but can bowl a bit. Actually, it should be the reverse,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’.
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“Arshdeep Singh has shown that he can throw the bat. He has displayed his batting credentials. If someone has the talent, then you should work with them. It shouldn’t be the case of him sitting out and Dube playing because he is a batter and can bowl a bit. In T20 cricket, bowling a good four-over spell can result in you winning the competition,” he added.
‘Arshdeep has to come in’
Ashwin, who retired from international cricket in December 2024, stated that Arshdeep has to come into the playing XI as he is at the peak of his career, and it shouldn’t be wasted just because he doesn’t have much credentials with the bat.
“Arshdeep has to come in. In my view, if you can lock Shubman Gill as opener, Suryakumar Yadav at No.4 and Jasprit Bumrah at No.11, then why can’t someone who has been your best T20 bowler, be locked? These rules for batters and bowlers have always been an issue in my head,” said Ashwin.
“These decisions pertaining to bowlers are sometimes taken by batters. These batters have never bowled a ball in their entire life. Bowlers are doing that forever. It is hard for the batters to understand the mindset of the bowlers. Think about the confidence in the bowlers. If you are consistently parking him out of the side because you want a No.8, then think what he would go through. He is in a purple patch and bowling well. He is not going to get these wonderful years back,” he added.
Ashwin further said that Arshdeep should be angry if he is consistently made to sit out just because of the management’s fixation with batting depth.
“Why are you writing his destiny, just because he can’t bat. I want to say this to the bowling community. If we don’t have pride within our community, then no one would take us seriously. If we are made to sit out, then we should be angry,” said Ashwin.
