Arshdeep Singh stands on the verge of history as he needs just one more wicket to become the first Indian bowler to claim 100 wickets in T20 Internationals. The 26-year-old has also enjoyed notable success against Pakistan, taking seven wickets from four T20Is at an average of 17.57 with an economy of 7.25. Despite these numbers, Arshdeep continues to find himself on the sidelines. He has not played a match since the home white-ball series against England earlier this year and was not part of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He also missed an opportunity to make his Test debut in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy on English soil.
In India’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 fixture against UAE on September 10 in Dubai, Arshdeep was again left out of the playing eleven. India opted for Jasprit Bumrah as the lone frontline pacer along with Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube as pace-bowling alternatives, while heavily relying on spinners in spin-friendly conditions. The strategy worked as UAE folded for just 57, but former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin voiced his concerns over the team’s bowling combination.
Ashwin stated on his YouTube channel, “It’s surprising that Arshdeep has been dropped, but it’s not a new thing. Has been happening since Gautam Gambhir started coaching. Arshdeep did not play the entire Champions Trophy as well. It has been a bit of a theme. Maybe considering Dubai conditions, they are preferring spinners. When Gambhir won the title for KKR, he was also going all-out on spin.”
He further added, “This is the theme that we could see until the T20 World Cup. But I doubt this combination can work against a good team. It’s quite risky. Arshdeep is a big performer. He was phenomenal in the World Cup against South Africa. To keep a man like that out for a very long time is going to be hard. I know Shivam Dube took a few wickets, but this is not a bowling combination I would be convinced with.”
Arshdeep Needed For Pakistan Game
The 38-year-old off-spinner also stressed that India will need Arshdeep when they come up against Pakistan on September 14. According to him, Suryakumar Yadav as captain will require a reliable bowler in high-pressure overs.
Ashwin remarked, “The rest of the bowlers will be targeted, so you need a good bowler to get through those overs. The World Cup looks a bit far away now. But you never know, if you can’t fix these combinations… Arshdeep is high quality and you have to play him.”
Arshdeep’s overall record underlines his importance. In 63 T20Is, he has taken 99 wickets at a striking average of 18.30, which includes two four-wicket hauls. His consistent performances and ability to deliver in crunch games continue to make a strong case for his return to the playing eleven
