What more does Arshdeep Singh have to do to cement his place in the Indian Playing XI? That's a question that every single Indian cricket fan ponders over every time India announces its starting XI. The snubbing of the left-arm seamer has continued into 2026 as he wasn't picked once again for the first International fixture of the year. The 1st ODI of the 3-match series between India and New Zealand will feature a 3-pronged pace attack of Harshit Rana, Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, with the Punjab pacer yet again sitting on the bench.

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The frustration is understandable given Arshdeep’s stellar form leading up to this series. The left-armer was India's most potent weapon during the December 2025 tour of South Africa. He was putting in impressive performances every time given a chance, executing plans to perfection,

In contrast, Prasidh Krishna’s selection is baffling. The Karnataka pacer leaked runs at an economy rate of over 9 in South Africa, conceding 199 runs for 7 wickets across three matches. While Prasidh struggled with his length, Arshdeep was a miser, maintaining an economy rate near 5.5. Benching a bowler in such rich form for one clearly struggling for rhythm looks like a selection blunder that defies logic.

A user showed exactly how much Arshdeep has been wronged in the recent past. "~Dropped from 2 T20i vs Eng ~Dropped from 2 ODIs vs Eng ~Dropped from CT ~Didn't got a single game in Eng test series ~Dropped from many Asia Cup matches ~Dropped from 3rd Odi vs Aus ~Dropped from 1st T20i vs Aus ~Dropped from 1st Odi vs NZ What is Arshdeep Singh doing wrong?", the user wrote.

Another user expressed his disbelief over the left-arm pacer being snubbed even in 2026 after proving his mettle time and time again.

AkCricTalks, an avid fan and X commentator, blamed the team management for making such nonsensical decisions, tweeting. "From Harshit to Prasidh: The Ongoing Snub of Arshdeep Singh - It feels like not selecting Arshdeep in the team has simply become a hobby for this team management. - Prasidh Krishna, who is an inconsistent performer and a run-leaking machine, is getting chances over Arshdeep. - Sometimes Harshit plays in Arshdeep's place, sometimes Prasidh. - Why does no one question these nonsensical tactics of the team management?"

One user showed the stark contrast between Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep. "- Prasidh Krishna was the least impactful bowler in the last series. - He also finished as the most expensive one. - And today, he replaces Arshdeep in the XI."

Another fan called out the obvious favouritism at play. "So you are telling me we are going with Prasidh Krishna instead of Arshdeep Singh. Isn't it obvious favouritism"