While the dust has been settled regarding India's hard fought 2-2 Test series draw against England, Gagandeep Singh, Arshdeep Singh's bowling coach, is unhappy about his pupil not even getting a game in the five-match Test series. The left-arm pacer, who was in the side, was overlooked in the playing XI, as the likes of Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, & Anshul Kamboj were preferred. Although Arshdeep was ruled out of the fifth and final Oval Test, he never got an opportunity to play when fit in the first four Tests.
Gagandeep, who is currently in Chennai for the Buchi Babu tournament, stated, he is in touch with the young Punjab pacer and admitted the wait had tested his patience.
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"A few months ago, when he was in England, I spoke to him. He was getting impatient because he was not getting a chance. I just told him, 'You have to wait for your time.' I think they should have played him in England because he's a swing bowler, and he is tall, everything's good. I don't know the team combinations, probably the coach (Gautam Gambhir) and captain (Shubman Gill) weren't confident about him," said Gagandeep.
Arshdeep Singh needs to be better bowler with more swing: Gagandeep
For the unversed, Arshdeep Singh has not made his debut in Tests since 2022, the year when he made is his international debut in T20Is. While he has gone to be the lead pacer in the shortest format of the game, red-ball format debut has eluded him, despite doing reasonably well in first-class cricket. When quizzed to Gagandeep about what the youngster needs to do more to earn the Test cap, the coach said he needs to be more accurate and get more swing.
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"He can be a better bowler with more swing and more accuracy. I have not seen him in the last few months, but hopefully, when I do, I can assess him better. From the recent matches I have observed, he can work more on line and length, yorker balls, and especially bouncers, which are the most effective balls in international cricket."
Arshdeep's wait for red-ball debut will stretch till October 02, as that is when India will play the next Test series against West Indies. However, he can continue to add more wickets in T20Is, as the left-arm pacer is part of the Asia Cup 15-member squad for the national team. In 63 T20Is, the youngster has picked up 99 wickets and is only one wicket away from being India's first Men's bowler to take 100 wickets in T20Is. He has been an absolute asset for the team in the shortest format and has formed a formidable bowling partnership with Jasprit Bumrah.
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