TV
Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar had backed Arshdeep Singh to feature in the second Test against England, but the team management opted for Akash Deep instead. Jasprit Bumrah was rested to manage his workload, and Akash Deep—who last played in Australia—was brought in as his replacement.
Although Arshdeep is yet to make his red-ball debut for India, he has been a standout performer in white-ball cricket. Currently, he is India's top bowler in T20Is.
In the first Test, Bumrah claimed five wickets in the first innings but went wicketless in the second. Meanwhile, the other pacers—Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Shardul Thakur—delivered lackluster performances. Their struggles contributed to India’s five-wicket loss, as the team failed to defend a 371-run target in the final innings.
"Arshdeep Singh brings the left-arm angle. He has a complete skill set—can swing the ball both ways, and delivers accurate yorkers and sharp bouncers. Plus, he has bowled in these conditions before," Gavaskar said.
Arshdeep has previously played in the County Championship and is familiar with the line and length required to succeed on English pitches.
