Former Indian fast bowler RP Singh has heaped praise on Arshdeep Singh for his fine spell in the fourth T20I against the West Indies at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida on Saturday. India registered a convincing win of nine wickets to level the series 2-2 after they chased down 179 with ease, following fine knocks from Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Singh played a key role in the team’s win as he returned with impressive figures of 3-38 in his quota of four overs. The left-arm seamer accounted for West Indies’ openers Kyle Mayers and Brandon King and the top-scorer Shimron Hetmyer.
RP Singh lauded the young fast bowler for executing his plans to perfection and doing a fine job for the team in a must-win game.
RP Singh said on Jio Cinema, “Arshdeep has a specialty. I feel while playing he has learned how to bowl based on the conditions. The options or weapons you have in your arsenal – he bowls a good yorker, he also bowls a good knuckle slower ball as well.”
The former Indian pacer added: “Bowling that ball is slightly tough because it won’t fall at the right length unless you hit the pitch. Bowling the knuckleball at the right length is in itself a challenge. So his skill has gone up and his game-reading sense was also good.”
Arshdeep has picked up 47 wickets in 30 T20Is at an excellent average of 18.40 and he will look to continue the good show in the deciding game.
RP said Arshdeep set the tone for the match as he got rid of the openers – Brandon King and Kyle Mayers in the Powerplay overs and thus played a key role in restricting the opposition at 178.
“I feel Arshdeep Singh set the tone for the match by picking up two early wickets. When you dismiss the opening pair, the scale tilts slightly in your favor. He started with a slower ball (the first ball he bowled), we were discussing that he should have probably not done that. However, he bowls a good bouncer, it is slightly deceptive.”
“He dismissed Kyle Mayers, who was looking in good rhythm, with a bouncer. Then Kuldeep Yadav took a good catch (to dismiss Brandon King). So Arshdeep laid the foundation for the bowling unit. Numbers suggest that the scales tilt in your favor if you take three or more wickets in the powerplay and Arshdeep himself picked up two wickets.”
The fifth and deciding T20I of the series will be played at the same venue of Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida on Sunday.
