Former Australian cricket legend believes that in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah at the Champions Trophy, Arshdeep Singh could perform well for India.
ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting has named Arshdeep Singh as the fast bowler who should be given the first opportunity to replace the injured Jasprit Bumrah and share the new ball with Mohammed Shami in the ICC Champions Trophy.
India faced a major setback earlier this month when Bumrah was ruled out due to a back injury. With their first match against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai, the team has limited time to finalize their preferred lineup.
Experienced fast bowler Harshit Rana delivered impressive performances during the recent home ODI series against England. However, Ponting believes Arshdeep’s past successes at the T20I level make him a strong candidate for taking on the responsibility with the new ball.
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Ponting shared his thoughts on the latest episode of ICC Review with host Sanjana Ganesan, saying:
I would choose the left-arm pacer and select Arshdeep as Bumrah’s replacement.
We all know how good he has been in T20 cricket, and if you think about his skill set, he probably offers something similar to what Bumrah does with the new ball and at the death. That’s exactly what India will miss.
“This has no bearing on Harshit Rana’s abilities. He is incredibly talented, as demonstrated by his abilities with the new ball. But I don’t think his death bowling skills are as good as Arshdeep’s.
Moreover, the advantage of having a left-arm bowler who can swing the new ball is priceless.
We all know how crucial that can be, especially in major tournaments where there are a lot of right-handers at the top. If I were India, I would personally lean towards that option.”
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Reflecting on India’s positives from the recent matches against England, Ponting pointed out that the team has plenty of options in their 15-member squad.
Since joining the squad, Harshit Rana has delivered impressive performances.
(Mohammed) Shami is fit too,” Ponting noted.
“I believe Hardik Pandya will play a significant role in the team, including with the ball, which could ease some pressure off Shami and compensate for Bumrah’s absence.
I believe Varun Chakravarthy has the potential to be a decisive factor for India in this competition.
“Even though he’s mostly been seen as a T20 specialist, his variations and skill set could make a big impact in the Champions Trophy.”
India’s Selection Dilemma
Discussing India’s selection challenges further, Ponting added, “I think everyone considered them one of the main contenders anyway. Even without Bumrah, yes, it’s tough to replace someone of his caliber. But if any team can do it with the depth of talent they have, it’s India.”
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India comfortably defeated England in the recent ODI series, but one of the key positives for them was the return to form of several batsmen.
Shubman Gill was the top scorer, with Shreyas Iyer playing a pivotal role, while senior batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also found form.
Ponting commented, “It was wonderful to witness Shreyas Iyer returning to the team and excelling in the middle order.”
He was outstanding.
“The most important thing for India is that (Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli) are back to scoring runs, and that’s exactly what they need heading into a big tournament. Your experienced players—Rohit, Virat—need to step up on the big occasions. So apart from Bumrah’s absence, everything seems to be falling into place for India.”
Ponting also believes that the momentum from the recent series win will boost India’s confidence heading into the Champions Trophy.
Ponting stated, “Victory is a habit, and maintaining that momentum can lead to numerous positive outcomes.”
“And this might sound contrary to my earlier point about losses not having a huge impact, but when you’re winning, the confidence stays high.”