Legendary Sunil Gavaskar praised Arshdeep Singh’s spell after India secured a convincing five-wicket win against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland on Wednesday. Singh returned with impressive figures of 4-70 in the series opener.
The left-arm seamer accounted for Will Young, Henry Nicholls, in-form Glenn Phillips and Kyle Jamieson. However, his figures were spoiled in the end by Blair Tickner, who scored a fine cameo of 23-ball 34 to help New Zealand post 184 runs on the board.
Gavaskar wondered if Arshdeep can swing the white-ball considerably, he will be able to extract more swing with the red-ball. Singh is yet to make his Test debut for India though.
“He can swing the ball both ways, inswing and outswing. That creates doubt for the batters as to which ball is coming. His length today was excellent. The line was good in any case. He was making the right-handed batters play across the line from middle and off-stump,” the former India captain, Sunil Gavaskar, said on Sony Sports.
“An odd ball was coming in as well. He bowled extremely well, and I have always said, I have been seeing him for two or three years, that he should be looked at even for Test cricket. If he swings the white ball so much, how much will he swing the red ball?” he added.
On the other hand, former Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane said Arshdeep should definitely get his chance in the red-ball format.
“He should definitely get a chance. The way he moves the white ball, inswing and outswing, the skill and wicket-taking ability he has, he has that with the red ball as well,” he said.
“A left-arm seamer also creates a different angle. If you have a spinner, a different footmark gets created. So, Arshdeep has that skill to bowl with the red ball,” Rahane observed.
Singh has scalped 73 wickets in 24 first-class matches at an average of 30.71.
The second ODI between India and New Zealand will be played at the Hnry Stadium, Wellington on Saturday.
