Former India coach Sanjay Bangar and ex-middle order batter Mohammad Kaif have lashed out at Arshdeep Singh for his mediocre display in the first T20I against New Zealand in Ranchi on Friday.
Known for producing excellent yorkers in the death overs and giving batters ample opportunities by delivering no-balls by overstepping the bowling mark, the left-arm speedster has proved to be like a double-edged sword for India.
Yet again, his problem of overstepping, resulting in no-balls and free-hits, came to haunt Arshdeep Singh against the Kiwi batters as he ended away giving 27 runs in the final over of their innings.
Until then, Arshdeep Singh had a good day at the office, bowling his first three overs for just 24 runs and picking up a wicket in the process.
However, the southpaw began the 20th over on the worst possible note, bowling a no-ball that went for a six. The next delivery, a free-hit, was smashed for a maximum by Daryl Mitchell, who followed it up with another six on the third ball of the over.
Subsequently, Daryl Mitchell clobbered Arshdeep Singh for a boundary before taking a couple of twos before the India fast bowler’s misery came to an end after the New Zealand innings.
After being clobbered for 27 runs by the New Zealand batsmen, the Madhya Pradesh-born cricketer became the first Indian to give at least 25 runs in an over in T20Is twice.
After watching Arshdeep Singh go for plenty of runs, ex-India batting coach Sanjay Bangar was utterly disappointed.
“Arshdeep wasn't much effective today. He has been known for those wide yorkers that trouble the batters but today, he bowled mostly in the slot. I think he needs to think about his bowling a bit and make decisions wisely. It's a journey. You may have a good start but there will be games where your skillsets will be tested. It depends upon you how much you believe in yourself and work on the basics. If he works on these factors, he might come out as a better batter,” Sanjay Bangar said in an interaction with Star Sports.
Mohammad Kaif then pointed out that it was the India speedster's run-up that was creating problems for him and hence he needed to make some subtle changes to overcome the issue.
“Arshdeep has a longer run-up which itself means he might face stepping issues. He’s also wasting energy there. So, the main reason behind those over-stepped no-balls is his long run-up. And as he changes side too much, sometimes round the wicket, sometimes over. So, he needs to work on the basics and stay a bit relaxed. He is a good bowler but didn’t have a great day,” Mohammad Kaif said.
Sanjay Bangar agreed with Mohammad Kaif and reiterated, “Like Kaif said, his run-up is longer than required. A bowler needs to figure that out. If you are a progressing fast-bowler and don’t have much power in the body, then run from a longer distance to create momentum.”
Like Mohammad Kaif and Sanjay Bangar, the fans weren't impressed by Arshdeep Singh's disappointing outing at the JSCA International Stadium.
While some dubbed him an “idiot”, others labeled him a “pimp” for helping the opposition team to win with the help of his sub-standard performances.
On the other hand, some even called for his exclusion from the Hardik Pandya-led side as they claimed that the Sikh bowler had lost his edge and no longer deserved a place in the national team.
“Concerning to see Arshdeep being unable to execute the very skill that got him into the team – death bowling. Been that way for a while, even when he’s bowled well with the new ball,” a Team India admirer wrote on Twitter.
Earlier, this month, Arsdeep Singh found himself among the top trends on Twitter following his horrible display in the second T20I against Sri Lanka in Pune.
During his disappointing outing, Arshdeep Singh went on to deliver 5 no-balls, making him the first Indian to achieve this bizarre feat. Previously, the record was held by Ishant Sharma, who had bowled three no-balls in a single T20I. He also became the first Indian bowler to produce three no-balls on the trot in a T2OI against the Dasun Shanaka-led team.
Arshdeep Singh’s poor showing in that contest earned him the ire of skipper Hardik Pandya who labeled the no-balls that he bowled with alarming regularity in the match a “crime”.
“You can have a good day, you can have a bad day, but you shouldn’t be moving away from the basics. For Arshdeep, in this situation, it is very difficult. In past as well he’s bowled no-balls,” Hardik Pandya said at the time.
“It is not about blaming him or being too hard on him, but we know no-balls in any format is a crime,” the India skipper summed up.
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