Last Updated: October 29, 2025 08:01 PM
The decision to leave India’s star fast bowler Arshdeep Singh out of the playing XI for the first T20I against Australia did not go down well with cricket fans and experts.
Why Arshdeep Singh Dropped from 1st T20 Match Today?
In the first T20I played in Canberra, India selected Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana as fast bowlers, while including three spinners: Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav.
This decision seemed even more surprising when the pitch was overcast, perfect for swing bowling.
The 25-year-old left-arm pacer has taken the most wickets for India in T20Is, yet he was not given a chance in the match played in Canberra.
This decision has caused an uproar on social media, and coach Gautam Gambhir and the selectors are facing a lot of criticism.
Why was Gambhir criticized after Arshdeep’s T20I omission?
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan expressed his displeasure, writing on X, “Arshdeep Singh…”
Meanwhile, domestic cricket legend Priyank Panchal said more bluntly, “Arshdeep deserves better treatment.”
He also wrote that it is incomprehensible for a team to bench its leading wicket-taker with the T20 World Cup so close.
Rain disrupted the match, but Arshdeep remained in the news
In the match, Australia captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and chose to bowl first, while Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav said he was happy to bat.
India got off to a quick start, with Abhishek Sharma scoring aggressively but getting dismissed early.
Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav then added 62 runs in 35 balls. India were 97/1 in 9.4 overs when rain interrupted the match and the match was abandoned. But the real issue for fans was Arshdeep’s omission.
On social media, fans criticized the selectors’ decision.
Arshdeep’s omission is nothing new. Previously, in the Asia Cup, he only got a chance in matches when senior bowlers were rested.
Such a decision just four months before the T20 World Cup raises questions about India’s strategy.
