India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel explained that India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is, Arshdeep Singh, is a world-class pacer and that leaving out experienced players like him is part of the team’s plan to experiment with new combinations and build reserves ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The Indian team management has opted for Harshit Rana ahead of Arshdeep on several occasions in recent matches. Although facing criticism for being left out of key encounters, Arshdeep has consistently proved his worth whenever given a chance, reaffirming his ability to play under pressure and forming a formidable partnership with Jasprit Bumrah. However, the 25-year-old featured in only two of India’s seven matches during the Asia Cup and was left out of the final.
“I think Arshdeep is experienced. He understands that there is a bigger picture that we are trying different combinations. He knows he is a world-class bowler and he has taken the most wickets for us in the power bowl. We know how valuable he is to the team. But this tour is also about looking at other combinations and he understands that,” IndiaI bowling coach Courast Gold told T2.
Arshdeep, who missed the first two T20Is in Australia, made a commanding return to the Indian side, taking 3 for 35 and packing Player of the Match award in the third T20I on Sunday at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
Despite being India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is with 104 wickets, the Punjab pacer has spent a long time on the bench. Morkel stressed that with only a handful of matches remaining before the T20 World Cup, the team management’s priority is to evaluate the players’ performance under pressure.
“It’s not easy,” Morkel said of Arshdeep’s situation. “There’s always going to be disappointment in terms of players and selection, but that’s sometimes something that’s uncontrollable as a player.”
“For us, from our side, we are still asking them to work hard and try hard and be ready when they get the opportunity. There are limited-overs games leading into the T20 World Cup now, so it’s crucial for us to see how the players can react in certain situations under pressure; otherwise it will be unknown for us. So it’s a bit of playing games like that and then still having the idea of winning the match,” Morkel added.
The team’s rotation policy has sparked debate with questions over bowling combinations and frequent batting order shuffling in the ongoing T20I series against Australia. However, Morkel argued that experimentation at this stage is vital.
“You have to have options available. I think every team, if you look around the world, plays with options,” Morkel said. “Yeah, we’ll probably know one or two combinations that we set up, but I think you have to be adaptable in this game. You have to know where certain players can give you options in different roles. And if you don’t try those roles and see how they handle the pressure in those situations, you’ll never know.”
“And I think with the World Cup around the corner, you don’t want to leave any stone unturned. You don’t want to sit in the queue for two years and say if we had tried or given that combination a bit more time, it would have developed. So yes, I think it’s about playing smart,” Morkel concluded.
Arshdeep’s versatility – his ability to strike in the power play and close out games at the death – continues to make him one of India’s most valuable bowling assets. And while the rotation policy may keep him out of the XI temporarily, his performances ensure he remains a big part of India’s World T20 plans.
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
November 5, 2025
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