Former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin questioned head coach Gautam Gambhir over the bowling combination for the Asia Cup 2025 opener against the UAE. Ashwin expressed surprise at the omission of left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, adding that India cannot afford to ignore a high-quality bowler.
India dropped Arshdeep from the playing XI during their recent match. They picked Jasprit Bumrah as the frontline pacer. Hardik Pandya shared the new ball with Bumrah. Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav handled the spin bowling, while Shivam Dube was also used as an additional bowler.
They Could Have Played Arshdeep Singh – Ravichandran Ashwin
Speaking on ‘Ash ki Baat’, Ravichandran Ashwin said that India’s current bowling balance might not work in the 2026 T20 World Cup. He pointed out that Gautam Gambhir has opted for extra batting depth and spinners. Ashwin added that India could have played Arshdeep Singh in the recent game.
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“It’s surprising but not a new thing since Gautam Gambhir’s era began. Even in the Champions Trophy when the wickets were dry, they went with a seamer light. They could have played Arshdeep there. It’s been a theme that we could see till the T20 World Cup,” Ashwin said.
Arshdeep Singh Would Be Really Disappointed – Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin criticized India’s decision to have batting depth against a weaker side like the UAE. Ashwin stated that Arshdeep deserved a place in the XI, given his performances for India in the format.
“There are two things that Gambhir and even Suryakumar (Yadav) are leaning towards. One is batting depth. (But) Do you really need an extra batter against the UAE, and use Shivam Dube as the fifth bowler?,” Ashwin said.
“If I was Arshdeep, I would be really disappointed. He has performed well everywhere and was even the No.1 T20 bowler a while back. He also performed well in the T20 World Cup that India won recently,” he added.
Arshdeep Singh is just one wicket away from completing 100 in the format. He played three matches in India’s recent home T20I series against England earlier this year. Singh took four wickets at an average of 23.00 with an economy rate of 7.88.
The left-arm pacer also played a pivotal role in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, where he emerged as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 17 dismissals.
Arshdeep would be upset for sure – Ravichandran Ashwin
Ashwin stated that Arshdeep Singh must be disappointed after being left out. He added that Gautam Gambhir loved his spinners during his KKR days and is backing that route yet again.
“Arshdeep would be upset for sure. But I think it is the theme that this team is going for. The next world cup is in India, and we have seen how Gambhir, even his KKR stint, loved his spinners. It looks like he’s backing that route yet again,” Ashwin opined.
India bowled out the home team for 57 runs in 13.1 overs after choosing to field first. The spinners ran through the batting lineup. Kuldeep Yadav picked 4 wickets for 7, while Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel chipped in with one wicket each. The Men in Blue then chased down the target in only 4.3 overs.
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