Delhi: Team India’s great spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned Team India’s decision to keep Arshdeep Singh out of the playing XI in the second T20I match played against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Stadium. The current team management led by Gautam Gambhir is giving priority to depth in batting. As a result, Arshdeep Singh has continued to sit on the bench despite being India’s leading wicket-taker in the T20I format.

Ashwin’s statement

Ashwin, India’s second highest wicket-taker in all three formats, urged the think tank to rethink its strategy. He said that considering Arshdeep’s record, he should definitely be in the playing XI. Let us tell you that Arshdeep has taken 101 wickets in 65 T20I matches at an average of 18.76. Ashwin believes that Arshdeep should be India’s second speedster in the playing XI after fast bowling leader Jasprit Bumrah.

Why is the number 1 bowler out?

Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, “If Bumrah is playing, then Arshdeep Singh’s name should be second in your fast bowlers’ list. If Bumrah is not playing, then Arshdeep becomes your first bowler in that team list. I am not able to understand how Arshdeep Singh is continuously missing from the playing XI in this team. I really don’t understand it.”

Comment on Harshit Rana’s performance

There was no result in the first match due to rain, after which Australia defeated India by four wickets and took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Harshit Rana, who was included in India’s playing XI, played an important role in batting and scored 5 runs. However, he gave away a lot of runs in the bowling as Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh attacked him within the powerplay.

The 39-year-old Ashwin further added, “Definitely, Harshit Rana had a good day with the bat. He batted well, but it’s not all about him. It’s about Arshdeep Singh. The performance he had in the 2024 T20 World Cup was impressive, but since then he has been constantly finding ways to stay out of the team. He has been benched so many times that his rhythm has lost a bit.”

Team India will now try to make a comeback during the third T20I of the series, which will be played on November 2 at the Ninja Stadium in Bellerive, Australia.