There are a few similarities between Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh. They can swing the ball, they aren’t express-quick and they are decent performers in the death overs for their team. However, if the current form is an indicator, India would persist with Arshdeep over Bhuvneshwar for his recent performances.
Can India play both #bhuvneshwarkumar and #deepakchahar for #T20wc2022 ? pic.twitter.com/XKwHKBL6LA
— Cric666 (@Cric666_) September 30, 2022
Yet, India cannot ignore the contributions of the Meerut pacer and he is perhaps a game or two away from rediscovering his form. After Bumrah’s injury, there is a chance India may play both these pace bowlers in the final eleven, and add Harshal Patel as the third seamer. There is also a chance of Deepak Chahar making it to playing eleven, leaving one of the two out.
Arshdeep Singh and the story of left-arm pacers in India
The left-arm puzzle of the Indian team kick-started after the retirement of Ashish Nehra. Previously, India had Irfan Pathan and RP Singh, who displayed their potential and won several games for India, especially in foreign places. Last year, India tried out T Natarajan in Australia and Nattu had been impressed with his lethal yorkers before being ruled out with constant injuries. Khaleel Ahmed, who had his stint and picked key wickets, was not on the radar of selectors.
The start we wanted🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/lqi7NuXGeF
— Arshdeep Singh (@arshdeepsinghh) September 28, 2022
India has high hopes for young left-armer Arshdeep. The 24-year-old rose to fame after his performance for Punjab Kings in the 2022 IPL. The Punjabi pacer has grabbed 17 wickets from 12 T20 internationals, with an average of 18.5 and an economy rate of 7.44. Arshdeep’s exploits in swing-friendly conditions with the new ball, and his death bowling skills, could help India in the Aussies. However, his lack of pace is one challenge on slow Aussie wickets where the ball takes time to reach the bat and the batters get more time to alter their game.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is key to India
After Bumrah’s injury, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the likely candidate for the bowling captain slot. The 32-year-old has a decade-long experience playing for India. He has appeared in 79 T20Is for India, bagging 85 wickets. Bhuvi’s economy rate is a modest 7.2 runs per over. Of late, he conceded above 10 runs per over in many crucial clashes. This makes experts question if the Meerut swing machine is as effective as he was in the past.
It's not been an easy few games for Bhuvneshwar Kumar 🥲#BhuvneshwarKumar #India #INDvsAUS #Cricket pic.twitter.com/VUXblIijVZ
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) September 25, 2022
Read More
India is likely to name Bumrah’s replacement soon. It could be Mohammed Shami or Mohammed Siraj or Deepak Chahar, as per new reports. At present, there are no certainties in team India’s bowling lineup. But Bhuvi and Arshdeep, two modest characters can produce some spirited performances, if they are at their best rhythm.
