Arshdeep Singh has frequently being benched under the Gautam Gambhir-led management. The left-arm seamer didn’t feature in the first two matches of the recently held ODI series against New Zealand despite doing well in the previous assignment against South Africa.
After India’s 48-run win over New Zealand in the first T20I in Nagpur on Wednesday (January 18), Arshdeep was asked if the constant chopping and changing affected him. To which, he came up with a rather hilarious response.
"Jaise main team se in and out hota hoon uska advantage bhi hai. Mera ball bhi in and out jaata hai (Being in and out of the team has its own set of advantages. Like I am in and out of the team, my ball is also coming in and going out). So I am enjoying that," Arshdeep said in the post-match presser, reminding one and all that non-selection hasn't affected his ability to swing the ball both ways even one bit.
Arshdeep, India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is with 111 scalps from 73 matches, has often been sidelined for team combination in recent months and this particular trend has drawn attention since Gambhir took over as head coach in July 2024.
In 2025, Arshdeep turned up in 13 of the 21 T20Is played by India. He warmed the bench for a better part of the Asia Cup 2025.
However, the 26-year-old emphasized his professional approach towards selection and readiness.
"My job is to remain ready and whenever team wants me to bowl in any format with new or old ball, I can give my best. My aim is to enjoy the journey, remain in present and focus on the controllable. What is not in my control (selection), I shouldn't be bothered about it," he added.
Arshdeep also highlighted the challenge of bowling on flat wickets and adapting to different match conditions.
"When you find a good batting pitch, you have a prayer on your lips, 'Please God save me today'. The plans are chalked out at the team meetings and on the game day, our job is to execute that plan. If you stick to your plans and execute them properly, more often than not, you get results," he explained.
"We need to know what works on a particular strip against a specific batter. In the end, you should be satisfied about your strategy and if it doesn't work, you get to know it when there is a change of plan in the next match."
For the team, Arshdeep feels flexibility with regards to both mental and tactical remains the key.
"Strategy changes depending on conditions. Plans are made based on opposition, kind of total on the board, and we adapt accordingly. The key is to remain flexible, which is the main moto of the team. Whether you are called at the start, middle or finish, you need to remain ready."
Opener Abhishek Sharma stole the show with the bat in the T20I series opener against New Zealand, smashing 84 off 35 balls with 5 fours and 8 sixes to lay the foundation of India’s mammoth 238/7 in 20 overs.
Commenting on Abhishek’s heroics, Arshdeep revealed that the southpaw prefers not to bat against him in the nets, something the pacer is not complaining about at all.
"He (Abhishek) would always say, 'I do not want to bat against you guys'. It's good for us that we don't have to bowl to him. I have played a lot of cricket with him and watching him dominate at this level feels good," Arshdeep concluded.
(With PTI Inputs)
