Allow Arshdeep Singh to walk into the eleven with his head held high: Ravi Ashwin

Former India spinner and analyst Ravi Ashwin has questioned the Indian team management’s decision not to include Arshdeep Singh in the playing XI in the first two ODIs against New Zealand. Notably, the series is currently levelled at 1-1 with the series decider scheduled to take place on Sunday, January 18, in Indore.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin has asserted that Arshdeep should be given a chance to walk into the playing XI with his head held high. However, he felt that there would be a major use of the left-arm pacer playing the series decider.

“He has performed every time you have given him the ball. Give him the place he deserves. Allow him to walk into the eleven with his head held high,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

“Now what is the use of him playing the third ODI? Why did he not play the first two ODIs? What will that do to his confidence?” he questioned

“Cricket is a game of confidence. The next time he plays, he will be rusty. Whatever you say, this keeps happening with bowlers. It never happens with batsmen,” he stated.

“This is not about how much he played under Rahul bhai and how much he is playing now. It is about what must be going through his head right now,” he concluded.

Notably, Arshdeep Singh was part of the three-match ODI series against South Africa, playing all three games and scalping five wickets in total. However, he is yet to make it to the XI in the ongoing three-match ODI series against New Zealand.

India’s updated squad for the third ODI vs NZ: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ayush Badoni.

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