“It will be a bit of a surprise to me” - Ricky Ponting feels Arshdeep Singh should be in playing XI straightaway on England tour

Punjab Kings’ head coach Ricky Ponting feels that the pacer Arshdeep Singh should be a sure-shot starter on the England tour, starting on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. Notably, Arshdeep has been part of the Punjab franchise since 2019.

It’s important to note that Arshdeep Singh is currently leading the wicket-taking charts for the Punjab Kings, scalping 18 wickets from 15 games. Moreover, he is also leading the wickets column for India in T20Is.

Interestingly, Arshdeep hasn’t represented the Indian team in red-ball format so far. With the England tour coming up from June and Arshdeep part of the squad, Ponting feels he should be a part of the XI directly. 

“I've had a good chance to get to know him really well. He's a great character to have around the team. He's a fun-loving guy. He's very laid-back around the group, which is great. Which is what we all like," Ponting said of Arshdeep while speaking to the ICC Review.

"As soon as the squad was announced the other day, the Test squad, the first thing I did in our team meeting was to make sure that I acknowledged that Arshdeep had been picked in front of everybody and just congratulated him in front of everybody. I think it's well deserved. I think he’ll bowl well in England as well," he added.

Furthermore, Ponting has asserted that Arshdeep can excel with the Dukes ball in England and also his County experience will be handy for the team. He added that he would be surprised if India doesn't pick him in the playing XI straightaway.

“I would actually have him in their Test team at the start. He's very skillful. I think the Dukes ball will help him in the UK as well. And I just think to have that point of difference, having a left-armer in your team, I think will be something that, if India don't do it then it'll be a bit of a surprise to me," Ponting said.

“He's played county cricket and he knows the conditions there as well. Arshdeep is close to six-foot-four, so he's going to get a decent bounce...as we know in England the ball still swings when it is 30, 40 or 50 overs old. To have someone that's got that swing bowling ability and a left-armer I think is something that the Indian team should definitely look out for on that tour," he added.

After losing to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings will next take on the winner of the eliminator on Sunday, June 1.

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