Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 2 (ANI): Former Indian head coach and cricketer Ravi Shastri called for Team India to include a left-arm pacer in their squad for the five-Test tour to England, saying that Arshdeep Singh could fit into the team as he is a “thinking bowler”.
England will host India for a five-Test series – the first of the next cycle of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 – starting with the first Test in Edgbaston, Birmingham on June 20. This series is going to be crucial for India after the home series loss to New Zealand last year, which ended their 12-year dominance at home, and a 1-3 loss to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Speaking on the latest episode of The ICC Review, as quoted by the ICC, Shastri said, “I will be looking for a left-armer. I will be keeping an eye on which left-armer is in good form, and try and squeeze him in there as the sixth (bowling) option.”
“It could be anyone. It could even be a white-ball specialist. I do not like this thing when they say someone like Arshdeep Singh is a ‘white-ball specialist’.”
“I will keep a close eye on his red-ball record as well and the number of overs he bowls. If he can bowl 15-20 overs for me, he might very well be in the mix because he’s got the mindset. He is a thinking bowler, and I need a left-armer. It is just that.”
“You need a left-armer, go and find him, whoever it is, and whoever is the best of the lot – pick them. There is Khaleel Ahmed, who again, his rhythm is good, he is bowling well. So it is important to get that mix.”
Both Arshdeep and Khaleel have previously featured in India’s limited-overs squads, but neither has made their Test debut yet. Arshdeep has been dominant in T20Is and is the team’s highest-wicket-taker ever with 99 scalps in 63 matches. He has also taken 14 wickets in nine ODIs, including a five-wicket haul in South Africa.
Arshdeep has shown promise in red-ball cricket, claiming 66 wickets in 21 first-class matches. His recent stint with Kent in the 2024 County Championship, where he picked up 13 wickets in five games, added valuable exposure to English conditions.
Khaleel, with 52 wickets in 19 first-class matches, has also been on the selectors’ radar. He was part of the Australia tour, initially with India A and later as a travelling reserve for the Border-Gavaskar series, though a niggle cut his time short. He has taken 15 wickets in 11 ODIs and 16 wickets in 18 T20Is for India.
In the ongoing IPL, Khaleel has been exceptional in the powerplay, having taken 14 wickets at an average of 22.57 in 10 matches. Arshdeep has managed 13 scalps in 10 matches at an average of 21.15.
Among the other batting options, Shastri floated the idea of Shreyas Iyer returning to the Test setup, especially after his inclusion in India’s latest central contract list.
Iyer has impressed in sub-continental conditions, scoring 736 runs in 11 Tests across India and Bangladesh at an average of 43.29.
However, opportunities outside Asia have been limited, and he is yet to make a mark, managing just 75 runs in three matches, with appearances in South Africa and a solitary outing in England.
“He (Shreyas Iyer) can (make a comeback), but it’s again going to be a competition,” Shastri noted. “White-ball, certain. Test cricket, we have got to see who the other players are around,” he added. (ANI)
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