Arshdeep Singh took four wickets in India's five-wicket win over New Zealand in first ODI.
Legendary India opener Sunil Gavaskar was mightily impressed with left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh’s ability to swing the ball both ways in the recent first ODI between India and New Zealand. This game was played in Auckland on November 4, 2026, and was the first game of the five-ODI series.
New Zealand was asked to bat first by India captain Shubman Gill after winning the toss and was bowled out for 185 runs. Arshdeep Singh starred with 4/70 in his 10 overs, while Gurnoor Brar took three wickets and Anshul Kamboj took 2 wickets.
India won the game by 5 wickets, as the rain interruption meant that the Men in Blue had to chase 143 runs in 32 overs. Virat Kohli made 74 in 51 balls, while Shubman Gill made 37, with the duo adding 113 runs for the second wicket.
Sunil Gavaskar discussed the swing Arshdeep is capable of producing, and he seemed impressed.
"He can swing the ball both ways, inswing and outswing. That creates doubt for the batters as to which ball is coming. His length today was excellent. The line was good in any case. He was making the right-handed batters play across the line from the middle and off the stump.
An odd ball was coming in as well. He bowled extremely well, and I have always said, having watched him for two or three years, that he should be considered even for Test cricket. If he swings the white ball so much, how much will he swing the red ball? "the former India captain said on Sony Sports Network.
Ajinkya Rahane was part of the same discussion and supported Gavaskar’s call to give Arshdeep Singh a run in Test cricket as well. Arshdeep is a T20I veteran, with 151 wickets in 104 games, while he has played 19 ODIs, picking up 34 wickets.
"He should definitely get a chance. The way he moves the white ball, inswing and outswing, and the skill and wicket-taking ability he has—he has that with the red ball as well. A left-arm seamer also creates a different angle. If you have a spinner, a different footmark gets created. So, Arshdeep has that skill to bowl with the red ball,” Rahane said.
The second ODI of the series will be played on November 7 in Wellington.