Arshdeep Singh’s omission sparks outrage; Gautam Gambhir and selectors face backlash

India’s decision to leave out Arshdeep Singh from the playing XI in the first T20I against Australia in Canberra has raised plenty of eyebrows. The left-arm pacer, who is India’s highest wicket-taker in T20Is, did not find a place in the side despite the overcast conditions that seemed ideal for swing bowling. India went ahead with Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana as their two frontline pacers, while relying on three spinners – Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav. The move surprised many fans and former cricketers, who questioned the logic of leaving out such an experienced performer.

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan expressed his disbelief with a brief yet pointed post on X, writing, “Arshdeep Singh…”. Domestic veteran Priyank Panchal was more direct, saying that very few teams would bench their highest wicket-taker in a format so close to a World Cup.

“Arshdeep deserves better treatment,” he wrote.

Arshdeep’s exclusion continues a frustrating trend for the 25-year-old, who has often been rotated out of the squad despite consistent performances. During the Asia Cup, he played only in dead rubbers when senior bowlers were rested.

At the toss, Australia captain Mitchell Marsh opted to bowl first, while India’s skipper

Suryakumar Yadav

said he was happy to bat, believing the pitch might slow down later.

“Bench strength is a headache but a good one to have,” Surya said, hinting at India’s problem of plenty.Rain, however, had the final word in Canberra. India started brightly, with Abhishek Sharma setting the tone before falling early. After a short delay, Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav took charge, adding a brisk 62 runs off 35 balls. Just as India were cruising at 97 for 1 after 9.4 overs, the rain returned, this time ending play for good. The 1st T20I was eventually called off, leaving both teams frustrated. Still, for many fans, Arshdeep’s absence was difficult to digest. With just four months left for the T20 World Cup, the decision has sparked debate about India’s selection strategy and how they plan to manage their bowling resources.