Arshdeep Singh has become India's leading wicket-taker among pacers in T20Is with 95 wickets from 60 games. What makes left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh so special?
India’s success in T20Is in 2024, where they won 24 matches out of 26 and the World T20 title can be credited to their pacers, especially Arshdeep Singh. The left-arm pacer bagged 36 wickets in 18 games in T20Is in 2024 and emerged the highest wicket-taker for India among pacers in T20Is. Currently, he has 95 wickets in 60 T20Is. The second-best India pacer in T20Is is Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took 90 wickets but in 87 matches. In the process, he has become an India great among pacers in T20Is. But what makes him so special that in just three years, he has risen to the top of the charts?
Here's a look at Arshdeep’s career stats in T20Is and in T20 cricket
Year | Matches | Wickets | Average |
2022 | 21 | 33 | 18.12 |
2023 | 21 | 26 | 24.46 |
2023 | 18 | 36 | 13.50 |
IPL | 65 | 76 | 27.00 |
T20s | 148 | 197 | 22.26 |
The stats show how Arshdeep has been India’s top wicket-taking pacer in T20Is as Jasprit Bumrah is rested from T20Is to focus on Test cricket. He has taken over the baton from Bumrah successfully in T20Is and is now ready to take India’s success in the format to the next level.
Read More: SA vs IND, 3rd T20I: Tilak Varma's 107*, Arshdeep Singh's death bowling power India to 2-1 lead
So, what makes Arshdeep so special and a real threat to the opposition batters?
Left-arm bowler
Arshdeep enjoys certain privileges being a left-arm pacer. He gets the ball to swing away from the right-handed batters, and also possesses the skill to swing the ball into them to get mostly bowled or LBW dismissals. A look at his mode of dismissals shows that he has got 30 percent of all his dismissals out bowled or LBW. If the caught behind dismissals are also taken into account, the percentage rises to 48. He gets batters to edge behind due to the movement he generates off the pitch. It means Arshdeep earns his wickets solely through this mode of dismissals. Half of his total wickets as batters simply fail to read his bowling.
Here's a look at the various modes of dismissals by Arshdeep in T20Is
Mode of dismissal | Wickets |
Bowled | 19 |
LBW | 10 |
Caught behind | 17 |
Caught | 49 |
Total | 95 |
Line and length discipline & variations
Arshdeep’s disciplined line and length bowling makes him special. He pitches the ball up and gets it to swing away or into the batters to make them commit errors. He also has good variations which are difficult to pick, from both his hand and the pitch. His death bowling is full enough to not allow batters to get under his deliveries, making him a crafty T20 specialist bowler in the end overs. His subtle change of pace also makes him a good wicket-taking bowler. He also has the knack of picking early wickets in the powerplay to put pressure on the opposition batters straight away, making him a go-to bowler for every captain.
Arshdeep has set new standards
With his success in T20Is, Arshdeep has created a benchmark of sorts for upcoming T20 bowlers. He has set the bar high in terms of performances in the shortest format of the game. Arshdeep also takes the pitch out of equation at times, and gets wicket with his cricketing intelligence and skills with the ball. At just 25, Arshdeep has already written his name in record books, and much more performances are yet to come at the big stage in the shortest format.
The future ahead
The next challenge for Arshdeep Singh will be to carry forward his great form in T20Is to ODIs and Test cricket. Arshdeep can be equally lethal in ODIs where his skills would be most in demand. However, his true test of character will be to make inroads into India’s Test team and perform there. Since Zaheer Khan’s retirement, India have not found a good left-arm pacer who can carry forward the legacy. With three years in international cricket, Arshdeep is ready to take the next big step into the Test arena and prove himself in the longest format as well, carrying the legacy forward.
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