Ravichandran Ashwin, the Indian cricket legend turned pundit, expressed strong criticism over Arshdeep Singh being benched in the first two ODIs against New Zealand. Ashwin highlighted that despite Arshdeep Singh’s stellar record in white-ball cricket, the pacer was sidelined while other bowlers, including Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna, were given match practice.                        

Ashwin questioned the rationale behind sidelining Arshdeep Singh, emphasizing that prolonged bench periods could make the left-arm pacer “rusty” and negatively affect confidence. He stressed that in cricket, confidence is crucial for bowlers, and sidelining key performers repeatedly can be detrimental.

Ashwin noted that Arshdeep Singh has consistently performed when given the ball and argued that benching him could undermine his morale. He questioned why such treatment is unique to bowlers, noting that batters rarely face similar issues.

Some suggested that Arshdeep Singh was benched to manage workload ahead of the T20 World Cup starting February 7. However, Ashwin observed that Arshdeep has not been an automatic selection in T20s under coach Gautam Gambhir, reinforcing his point that deserving players should be allowed to play without unnecessary interruptions.

Ashwin called for Arshdeep Singh to be treated as a key figure in India’s pace attack and allowed to play freely, emphasizing that his contributions warrant respect and trust from team management. He highlighted the importance of consistent selection to maintain confidence and performance in international cricket.

The debate around Arshdeep Singh’s selection continues, with Ashwin firmly supporting fair treatment for bowlers and questioning team management decisions.