NEW DELHI: Despite being India's highest wicket-taker in T20Is, Arshdeep Singh's exclusion from the Asia Cup 2025 opener against UAE on Wednesday sparked outrage on social media. Joining the chorus was former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who expressed his surprise but pointed out that leaving Arshdeep out is nothing new.
Ashwin also emphasised that Arshdeep is being dropped ever since Gautam Gambhir took over as India's head coach.
"It's surprising that Arshdeep has been dropped, but it's not a new thing. Has been happening since Gautam Gambhir started coaching. Arshdeep did not play the entire Champions Trophy as well. It has been a bit of a theme. Maybe considering Dubai conditions, they are preferring spinners. When Gambhir won the title for KKR, he was also going all-out on spin," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
In 2025, Arshdeep has largely been a regular feature in India's squads, missing only the five-match T20I home series against England. In the three T20Is he has played this year, the left-arm pacer has picked up four wickets, along with two more in his lone ODI outing.
He was also included in the squad for the Champions Trophy in Dubai, but once again found himself on the sidelines, with Harshit Rana and Mohammed Shami getting the nod ahead of him.
"This is the theme that we could see until the T20 World Cup. But I doubt this combination can work against a good team. It's quite risky. Arshdeep is a big performer. He was phenomenal in the World Cup against South Africa. To keep a man like that out for a very long time is going to be hard. I know Shivam Dube took a few wickets, but this is not a bowling combination I would be convinced with," Ashwin added.
