Arshdeep Singh's Journey: Control with the Ball a Work in Progress
Arshdeep Singh reflects on his recent performance and the challenges of maintaining control with the ball. Despite flashes of brilliance, consistency remains a focus for the young pacer as he prepares for future matches.
Ahead of the 16th over of Ireland's innings, Arshdeep Singh was recalled to bowl his final over. With impressive figures of 2 for 18, he was expected to close out the innings strongly. However, he conceded 17 runs, allowing two fours, a six, and even a no-ball, making it the most productive over for the Irish. It was a rare bad over from an Indian bowler on a pitch that had been a nightmare for batters. Arshdeep also struggled in the fifth over of the innings, conceding 13 runs in a 10-ball over, a performance against the run of play on a treacherous pitch.
"We did not want to be greedy for wickets. Jassi Bhai (Jasprit Bumrah) was there to keep me in control and remind me to keep things simple," said Arshdeep, who finished with figures of 2 for 35, including two of the three most expensive overs in Ireland's innings. An objective look at those numbers reveals that the runs he conceded accounted for nearly 40 percent of Ireland's total of 96. Despite Bumrah's guidance, control was not his strong point in those two overs.
Swing upfront is Arshdeep's strength. He relies heavily on rhythm, and if it's even slightly off, things can go very wrong, as seen in that 10-ball over. He tried to bring the ball in but ended up bowling down the leg side for five runs. Attempting to correct this, he bowled in the opposite direction and conceded another wide. This lack of control, compounded by a faltering rhythm, disrupted his accuracy. Such waywardness often manifests during the death overs, where he struggles to execute the yorker. The root cause could be his constantly shifting release points, influenced by variations in his run-up speed and approach. These factors tend to intensify as pressure mounts towards the end of a T20 match.
However, in Wednesday's relatively one-sided contest, where little pressure was exerted, Arshdeep's off-colour finish undid a bit of his strong start. Arshdeep was chosen over T Natarajan, who was immensely effective in the recent IPL, particularly during the death overs—a factor that may have contributed to SunRisers Hyderabad's journey to the IPL final. Both bowlers claimed 19 wickets in 14 games during the 2024 IPL season, but Natarajan boasts superior figures in the death overs, with 11 wickets in 20 overs and an economy rate of 9.5, compared to Arshdeep's 10 wickets in 18 overs with an economy rate of 11, a significant differentiator in T20s.
There is a reason behind the preference for Arshdeep by the national selectors and team management: he excels at bowling the most challenging overs of an innings. While his ability to bring the ball back to right-handed batters is notable, insiders and selection committee members, both past and present, emphasize his exceptional courage on the field to bowl the most difficult overs. Coach Rahul Dravid, in particular, is impressed by Arshdeep's willingness to take responsibility for bowling the challenging overs—primarily the first six and last four. His unforgettable dismissal of Babar Azam during the last Twenty20 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground still resonates among Indian team members. It was a remarkable first delivery that saw the Pakistan skipper trapped on the crease by a swinging full-length ball, marking a dream start.
When questioned about it on Wednesday, Arshdeep humbly stated that he wasn't dwelling on the past. "At this stage, I am thinking of resting for a day. My family has come and we will go sightseeing in New York. We will practise a day later and will see what happens on June 9," Arshdeep said. As bigger challenges and high-pressure encounters await, India could do with more of the Arshdeep that delivered in the powerplay as opposed to how he finished his spell.
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