Follow UsArshdeep Singh was on the brink of making his Test debut during India’s five-match series in England, but circumstances didn’t go in his favour. The Indian team management preferred Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna over him, while a thumb injury ruled him out of the fourth Test at Manchester.
Punjab’s bowling coach Gagandeep Singh, who has worked closely with Arshdeep, revealed that the 26-year-old grew increasingly impatient during the tour. “A few months ago, when he was in England, I spoke to him. He was getting impatient that he was not getting a chance,” Gagandeep told TOI.
“I just told him, ‘You’ve got to wait for your time’. I think they should’ve played him in England because he’s a swing bowler and he’s tall, everything’s good. I don’t know the team combinations, probably the coach (Gautam Gambhir) and captain (Shubman Gill) weren’t confident about him,” he added.
On how Arshdeep could cement his place in India’s Test side, Gagandeep said: “He can be a better bowler with more swing and more accuracy. I haven’t seen him in the last few months, but hopefully, when I do, I can assess him better. From the recent matches that I have observed, he can work more on line and length, yorker balls, and especially bouncers, which are the most effective deliveries in international cricket.”
While Arshdeep is yet to make his Test debut, he remains a key figure in India’s T20I squad. The left-arm pacer is India’s highest wicket-taker in the 20-over format and played a pivotal role in India’s triumph at the 2024 T20 World Cup. He is set to be back in action at the Asia Cup 2025, starting on September 9 in the UAE.