Arshdeep Singh (PTI Photo) KOCHI: Arshdeep Singh’s Powerplay numbers in the last five T20Is – 141 runs from 10 overs – may raise criticism, even alarm. But context matters. These overs were less a reflection of the slump and more a consequence of the effort.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Arshdeep has been used as a blunt tool up front where his real value can lie in nuance, timing and selection. The inefficiency is that he used him twice in the Powerplay, a move that robs India of his influence during the most malleable phase of a T20 innings – the middle overs.
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Between overs 12 and 16, when the batting is set but not yet released, Arshdeep’s skill set is at its most disruptive. These are overs in which the pressure mixes quietly, where wickets come through sustained effort rather than miracle balls. Arshdeep knows how to create and maintain pressure.Its evolution is hiding in plain sight. The bullet that fooled Rachin Ravindra in Thiruvananthapuram was a statement of intent. Arshdeep bowls with clarity – wide yorkers that stretch the rail lines, hard lengths that grip the pitch, slower balls delivered at equal arm speed. Its angles force bats to hit square instead of straight. “Arshdeep has evolved and is coming up with a truckload of variations on counters in the middle overs. He’s a fantastic proposition with the semi-old ball,” says former India and Delhi paceman Sanjeev Sharma.Not too long ago, Arshdeep risked being straitjacketed into a template: two overs in front, two at the death. This approach underutilized his range, especially in the middle overs when batsmen look for pace and angles rather than reacting to instinct.The second T20I against New Zealand in Raipur underlined the importance of nuance. Arshdeep bowled too full, hunting the swing and yorkers on a surface that demanded a different response. The fix required wasn’t a big change, just a sharper length control. In his last 10 T20Is since November 2025, Arshdeep’s impact has been consistently felt in the middle overs, although he has been used sparingly during this phase. He made six runs and a 15th innings against South Africa in Ahmedabad. In Vizag against New Zealand, he bowled just one ball in the middle stages and picked up a wicket. In Thiruvananthapuram, after conceding 40 runs in his opening two overs, he took 4/11 in the 12th and 16th overs to douse the embers in a potential Kiwi heist.The pattern is clear: Arshdeep is most effective in the middle overs. “One over with the new ball is enough to set the tone. Bring him back in the middle overs and let him loose at the death. Let him loose,” Sharma said.In this way, India can maximize Arshdeep’s impact in the T20 World Cup.
