India pacer Arshdeep Singh is keen to show that he has the skills and stamina needed for Test cricket after getting a rare chance to play red-ball cricket in the 2026 Duleep Trophy.
Arshdeep, who has played 18 ODIs and 91 T20Is for India, is yet to make his Test debut. His focus on white-ball cricket has meant limited opportunities in first-class cricket. He had to wait almost a year between his 22nd and 23rd first-class appearances.
The Duleep Trophy quarter-final against West Zone in Bengaluru gave him a chance to make his case. Arshdeep bowled long spells in both innings and finished with figures of 3/53 and 1/40 as North Zone won by 52 runs.
“Very rarely do I get the chance to play red-ball cricket, and this was a chance. I wanted to showcase my skill set and just see how many overs I can bowl. The rhythm feels nice. After a long time, I was playing a red-ball game. I put in a lot of hours in practice, and it felt nice. The body is sore, but it’s a good sore because we got the win,” Arshdeep said after the game, as quoted by Cricinfo.
The 27-year-old also changed his training before the tournament, putting more focus on red-ball bowling after spending much of his recent time playing white-ball cricket.
“This time around, I knew the Duleep Trophy was coming, I was practising with red ball. When white-ball season is coming, then you practice with the white ball. It’s very specific training based on what kind of season is coming in front of you,” he said.
Arshdeep said he enjoys the fact that Test cricket gives a bowler more chances to get a batter out. His head coach, Ajay Sharma, also reminded him of that before the game.
“Ajay Sharma, our head coach, just told me that ‘even if you don’t get wickets with the new ball, you have a chance to come back in the second spell’. Red ball has that beauty of giving you a chance again.” he said.
Arshdeep has also experienced red-ball cricket in England, playing five county matches for Kent in 2023. He believes county cricket can help, although India’s packed schedule makes another stint difficult.
“Whenever you get a chance, whenever there is a time frame you can go to England to play county cricket, that is a really good experience, but now, with the IPL, the white-ball season at home, and domestic cricket also going on, you can’t go play county. There are crucial games getting played here. We want to push our domestic cricket as well and make sure the level doesn’t drop down. We all choose to play here and give our best,” he said.
The Bengaluru pitch also tested Arshdeep. Despite overcast conditions, the surface helped spinners more than the pacers.
“On wickets like this, you just have to play with the mind. Sometimes you get success, sometimes you get hit for across-the-line six as well. So you got to take both and just keep trying,” he said.
North Zone beat West Zone by 52 runs in the Duleep Trophy quarter-final in Bengaluru. Arshdeep Singh played a key role with the ball, taking four wickets across both innings.
from Latest News, Breaking News, LIVE News, Top News Headlines, Viral Video, Cricket LIVE, Sports, Entertainment, Business, Health, Lifestyle and Utility News | India.Com https://ift.tt/3Ouy2Yj