Former India cricketer and selector Saba Karim thinks Arshdeep Singh is now one of the best pacers in the nation. As a result, it would be unjust if he were chosen for the Indian squad only for his versatility as a left-arm seamer.
Despite having played in only four T20Is so far, Singh already possesses the skills necessary to be a bowler of the highest calibre.
Karim made a statement to India News Sports about Singh,
“I don’t agree with the theory that they should play Arshdeep just because he is a left-arm seamer and they need variety," he remarked.
"He should play because he is one of the best among the three-four fast bowlers at the moment.”
Former India cricketer Reetinder Sodhi also shared his thoughts on the player from Punjab. The final two T20 Internationals in Florida, according to Sodhi, are some of the most important games for Singh to win if he wants to guarantee his spot in the T20 World Cup team.
According to reports, India and the West Indies will play the fourth T20I of the five-match series on Saturday, August 6, in Lauderhill, Florida prior to departing for St. Kitts to play the next two games. India leads 2-1 in the T20I series after dominating the first and third games.
Indian player Dinesh Karthik responds regarding the match, saying “We all know how good the West Indies are."
"But one important thing we have to be told is that when we went to St Kitts, in the first game, we might not have adapted to the conditions as quickly as we would have liked," he added.
It is different for the opponent, though, especially as its batters strained to produce in all three games, hence West Indies, captained by Nicholas Pooran, has to win this game to keep the series alive.
In the same panel, Sodhi said the following about Singh,
“Arshdeep Singh already looks ready and has delivered whenever his team has needed him to," he said.
"In any crunch situation, he seems to have confidence on his shoulders and is very calm under pressure. His variations have also been spot on and he should focus on the upcoming games. If he does well in the last two games, he is definitely going to the [T20] World Cup.”
Sodhi favorites Singh, Bishnoi
Additionally, according to Sodhi, Singh and Ravi Bishnoi need to be given more consideration by the Indian team's selection. Despite bowling exceptionally effectively in his brief T20I career thus far, the 21-year-old wrist-spinner Bishnoi has not yet cemented his membership in the Indian team.
In a statement, Sodhi said that if given the opportunity, he would select both Singh and Bishnoi to play for the Indian squad on any day.
“The ambiguity around Arshdeep Singh needs to be cleared as soon as possible," he noted.
"The youngster has always excelled whenever the team has thrown him in testing situations. Even about Ravi Bishnoi, I would take him to the World Cup any day because he is a genuine wicket taker. The kind of deliveries he bowls is hard to understand for opposition batters. The selectors need to be clear about these 2-3 players.”
