Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra was slightly perplexed with Arshdeep Singh’s exclusion from the playing XI for the Asia Cup 2025 opener against UAE. Despite being India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is, the southpaw was left out of the XI while Jasprit Bumrah was picked ahead of him. Providing his two cents on India’s playing XI vs UAE, Chopra opined that the line-up reflected as if India were still in a Champions Trophy hangover.
Arshdeep’s exclusion baffles Chopra
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Chopra pointed out that Arshdeep has better numbers than Bumrah when it came to T20Is. The Punjab bowler has 99 wickets in the shortest format to his name while is fourth on the list of highest wicket-takers in T20Is with 90 scalps to his name. The outing against UAE on Wednesday marked Bumrah’s first in T20I after the T20 World Cup final in 2024.
“Arshdeep Singh. 99 wickets, Arshdeep Singh has got more wickets, better numbers than Jasprit Bumrah in T20s for India,” said Chopra.
Further, Chopra reckoned that India followed the same tactic that they used for the Champions Trophy in Dubai earlier this year. He wondered if India were just going to keep repeating the strategy instead of picking their best player. Bumrah managed to get just one wicket from his 3 overs. Meanwhile, Arshdeep is yet to get an international game, as he was included in the IND vs ENG Test series earlier but was benched throughout the series.
“I think it has a Champions Trophy hangover in this playing XI, that was March, that was dusty, I have never seen that square as dry as I saw in March in Dubai. But, this is September, but they have gone with the same tactic, albeit in a different format. Is that actually the way India are going to plan? You have to pick your best team,” Chopra added.
