After India’s dismal defeat to South Africa in the Boxing Day test, former Indian coach Ravi Shastri has advocated for recruiting left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh to the test team.
Shastri emphasized Arshdeep’s fantastic swing bowling abilities, pointing out his recent standout performance in the ODI series against South Africa. According to Shastri, this young bowler has the potential to bring a much-needed balance to India’s pace attack, especially when playing overseas.
A dependable third seamer in the team is a major concern for Shastri. While acknowledging the experience of Bumrah and Siraj, he underscored the considerable gap left by Shami’s absence. Shastri firmly believes that Arshdeep could be the solution to fill this void and strengthen India’s bowling lineup.
Shastri, speaking on Star Sports, highlighted Arshdeep’s crucial role as a swing bowler. “The fact is, you have to see his (Arshdeep’s) first-class record. Can he bowl long spells? Has he played a lot of Ranji Trophy cricket? I would, in fact, make him go and play a lot of Ranji Trophy cricket. First-class cricket. I would keep him in the mix because if someone can swing it, as he did with the white-ball in South Africa, he could be a handy customer here.”
The former Indian head coach also emphasized how crucial Arshdeep’s first-class performance is, highlighting his impressive record of taking 38 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 29.97 and an economy rate of 3.12. Shastri also praised Arshdeep’s dedication to enhancing his skills, specifically mentioning his involvement in County Championship games with Kent in the early months of 2023.
In the opening Test, South Africa showcased their authority, clinching a commanding victory over India in just three days with an innings and 32 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Stellar displays from Elgar, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, and Nandre Burger were instrumental, highlighting their exceptional skills with both bat and ball for the Proteas. The Second and last Test of this series will begin on 3rd January 2024.
