As his side began preparing for the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy, which starts on June 20, Indian left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh said he felt at home in Kent, England. After playing the County Championship here for a few months in 2023, he claimed he's enjoying the "peace of mind," the nice weather, and the hot chocolate and churros combo.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said his pick for this Test series was influenced by his time with Kent in the county. In five Division One games, he claimed 13 wickets at an average of 41.76, with his best statistics being 3/58.
Team India has started serious red-ball training with less than two weeks until the start of the five-Test series against England in Leeds. Images from the outdoor net session at the Kent County Ground in Beckenham were released by the BCCI on Monday, providing a glimpse of the surroundings and the team's increased emphasis on red-ball cricket, particularly after months of white-ball play.
“It feels really good to be here. At first, you get that ‘homely’ feeling, that yes, I’ve spent two months here before, so it feels great. I’m really looking forward to creating many more memories here. It’s a small place, very peaceful. Not many people around. If you need peace of mind, this is the best place—because there’s always a cool breeze blowing, a soft warmth from the sun, and when you sip hot chocolate in that setting, it’s pure bliss. And if you have a sweet tooth, make sure to have some churros with it,” Arshdeep Singh said in a video shared by BCCI.
The highlight of Monday’s session, Arshdeep revealed, was regaining rhythm with the red ball.
“As for today’s training session, my only motivation was to get a feel for the rhythm—how the body feels, how the red ball is coming out of the hand—because all the players have been playing with the white ball for quite a while. So, I really enjoyed it. Going forward, as we keep progressing step by step, the intensity will keep increasing, and we’ll keep making it more and more difficult for the batters to face the ball,” Arshdeep Singh stated.
Asked about working alongside Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep added with humility, "Whenever I hold the ball, I feel like ‘I am the best.’ But everyone knows that when you’re in an attack with a player like Bumrah, there’s no room for comparison. The main focus is how we can improve each other’s game and benefit the team."
Here is the video:
