IPL 2022: “He is certainly in the top 5” - Manjrekar rates Arshdeep a better current T20 bowler than Bhuvneshwar

Arshdeep Singh was one of the two players retained by PBKS before IPL 2022.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has shared a seemingly controversial opinion and rated Punjab Kings (PBKS) left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh as a better T20 bowler than veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

This comes after Arshdeep Singh and Kagiso Rabada helped Punjab Kings (PBKS) defeat five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in their last match of the IPL 2022 on April 13. The duo finished their quota at an economy of just over 7, with Arshdeep even bowling a crucial 18th over to tilt the match into Punjab's favor.  

With 33 required off the final three overs, the 23-year-old just conceded five runs and finished his four overs at 0/29. 

His bowling got him rich praise from cricket pundits and one of them was Sanjay Manjrekar. The former India batter praised his bowling against MI during an interaction on ESPNCricinfo.

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“Nobody is going to talk about Arshdeep Singh. Everyone’s talking about Odean Smith’s four wickets. But the guys who really made the difference were Rabada, picked up two huge wickets (Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav) and Arshdeep Singh. The first over went for 12, the second at the start went for nine by Rabada.

Arshdeep gets the ball and concedes four and the 18th over just conceded five runs. So this is a guy who has been doing this for years now and those are the contribution when the match is slipping away, a five-run over with a set batter around him. Surya during that over took a single because he couldn’t get him away. That’s the ultimate hats off to the bowler,” said Manjrekar during an interaction on ESPNCricinfo. 

Furthermore, Manjrekar compared him with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and made a bold claim that the left-armer was a better T20 bowler.

“India keeps going back to Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He has been a wonderful bowler. He has been. But today, if you compare, Bhuvneshwar and Arshdeep, he is a much better bowler to have in the T20 side. He is certainly in the top 5 (among Indian bowlers).

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He must be wondering what more do I have to do (to get into the Indian side). Because today was another night where you're looking at guys like Suryakumar Yadav saying I can't hit this guy, might as well take a single. That's what you do against the Bumrah, and the Lasith Malinga,” he added. 

With the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held later this year in Australia, it will be interesting to see if Arshdeep gets a chance to play for the Indian team.

Notably, he was one of only two players retained by PBKS ahead of the IPL 2022 auction, the other being Mayank Agarwal, who was named captain of the side.