Arshdeep Singh has taken just 3 wickets in 8 games in IPL 2022, yet he is among the most impressive Indian fast bowlers this season alongside young pace sensation Umran Malik. Arshdeep, who was one of the players retained by Punjab Kings ahead of the mega auction, has shown why he deserved that faith from the franchise with one impressive spell after another at the death.
While Punjab’s batting has blown hot and cold this season with their all-or-nothing approach, chasing over 200 in one match and getting bowled out for just over 100 in the next, one consistent thing is Arshdeep’s death bowling. His combination of yorkers, slower balls, and bouncers have kept the batsmen guessing making it really difficult for them to get him away. In fact, if Punjab does make it to the playoffs through some miracle, Arshdeep’s death bowling will play a major part in it.
Arshdeep hasn’t been an overnight success in T20s, but it is the result of consistent improvement over the last few years. Even though he played only 2 games during India’s successful run in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup, he impressed Punjab Kings (Kings XI Punjab at the time) to snap him up. His first season was hardly impressive as he played just 3 games conceding runs at over 10 runs an over.
However, by the 2020 season, he was starting to mature and taking up the responsibility to bowl at the critical junctures of the match and managed to pick 9 wickets while bringing his economy below 9. For someone bowling upfront in powerplay or at the death, these were decent numbers. 2021 was an even better season for him as he brought his economy rate further down while picking up an impressive 18 wickets in 12 games. His variations at the death were proving harder and harder to get away.
This season, even though the wickets aren’t coming, his bowling at the death is proving almost impossible to score off. After his excellent spell against Chennai Super Kings guided Punjab to a win, his teammate and South African spearhead Kagiso Rabada even called him the best death bowler in the IPL. Defending 47 off the last 4 overs against Rayudu, Jadeja, and MS Dhoni, Arshdeep conceded just 14 off his 2 overs, giving Rishi Dhawan a big enough target to defend in the last over.
With his consistent death over performances, and ability to stop even the biggest hitters in the game, Arshdeep must surely be in selectors’ minds when they sit down to select the Indian team for the World Cup later this year. His reliable bowling at the end of an innings will also help Jasprit Bumrah, who is the only option for the Indian captain at the death right now.
Bumrah can be used more flexibly throughout the innings when the Indian captain knows that he has 2 good overs in the bank from Arshdeep at the back end.
Throwing a youngster like Arshdeep at the deep end right at the start of his career may seem a little tough, but the only time India won a T20 World Cup was through youngsters.
Whether India does opt to look at Arshdeep Singh or not, Indian selectors right now must be very happy to see the performances of Indian bowlers during this IPL. While Chahal and Kuldeep look like they are back to their best dominating the bowling charts, old warhorses Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Mohammed Shami have also been very impressive. Among all these options, Arshdeep may get overlooked because of his lack of wickets, but anyone watching the IPL will agree with Kagiso Rabada and say that he has been the best death bowler of this IPL.
