Follow UsIt is being widely deliberated that Jasprit Bumrah, India’s best pace weapon on the tour of England in 2025, will not be available for the second Test of the five-match series. The second Test will begin on July 2nd at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
So if Bumrah doesn’t play, India will have to look towards either Arshdeep Singh or Akash Deep as these two players are the only pacers available for selection.
While Akash Deep has not played even a single game in England, Arshdep has experience of English conditions and, as a result, it would only be fair to look at his numbers in county cricket to assess whether he is a good fit for the Edgbaston Test or not.
Arshdeep featured in five First-Class games for Kent during the 2023-24 County Championship.
However, he was not very successful, picking up only 13 wickets across eight innings at an average of 41.8 and a strike rate of 74.5. He threw in 31 maidens but also bowled six no balls and five wides.
The second Test will be played in Edgbaston and Arshdeep doesn’t have any experience of bowling at that venue.
If his county experience is to be divided into innings-wise performances, then Arshdeep took six wickets in the second innings at an average of 30.7. In the third and fourth innings, the left-arm pacer took two wickets each but at an average of 75 and 45 respectively.