99 Wickets and Still Dropped? Aakash Chopra Questions India’s Shock Arshdeep Singh Omission
- Aakash Chopra questioned India’s decision to leave out Arshdeep Singh in Asia Cup 2025 opener vs UAE.
- India played with three spinners, relying only on Bumrah as the full-time pacer.
- Arshdeep Singh is on 99 T20I wickets and was dropped despite being India’s top wicket-taker.
- Chopra feels team management is still stuck with Champions Trophy tactics from earlier this year.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has raised eyebrows over India’s team selection after the Men in Blue started their Asia Cup 2025 campaign with a comfortable nine-wicket victory against the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While the result went India’s way, Chopra expressed his surprise and unhappiness at the exclusion of left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh from the playing XI.
India’s bowling combination in the first match was unconventional, featuring three spinners — Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakaravarthy, alongside pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Shivam Dube. Notably, Bumrah was the only specialist fast bowler, with Pandya bowling just one over and Dube filling in as the third option.
The strategy did pay off against UAE, as Kuldeep Yadav spun a web with remarkable figures of 4/7, while Shivam Dube chipped in with three wickets. Bumrah picked up one wicket, and UAE were bowled out for just 57 runs. India made light work of the chase, knocking off the target in 4.3 overs, with Abhishek Sharma blasting 30 off 16 balls and Shubman Gill scoring 20 off 9 balls* to seal a thumping nine-wicket win.
However, Aakash Chopra pointed out that India’s bowling strategy seemed like a “Champions Trophy hangover”, referring to the tournament earlier this year, which India won in the UAE on spin-friendly pitches. “I think it has a Champions Trophy hangover in this playing XI. That was in March. That was dusty. I have never seen that square as dry as I saw in March in Dubai. But this is September, and they have gone with the same tactic, albeit in a different format. Is that actually the way India is going to plan? You have to pick your best team,” Chopra said on ESPNCricinfo.
The exclusion of Arshdeep Singh was the biggest talking point, considering his outstanding record in T20Is. Arshdeep currently has 99 wickets, making him India’s all-time leading wicket-taker in the format. Interestingly, his numbers are statistically better than Bumrah’s in T20 internationals. Chopra highlighted this fact, saying: “Arshdeep Singh. 99 wickets, Arshdeep Singh has got more wickets and better numbers than Jasprit Bumrah in T20s for India.”
Arshdeep’s omission is being seen as a surprising move, especially when he is on the verge of becoming the first Indian bowler to complete 100 T20I wickets. His left-arm angle and ability to bowl in both powerplay and death overs make him a valuable asset. Many fans and analysts have echoed Chopra’s sentiment that India might have missed a trick by not fielding him against UAE.
India’s next clash is against their arch-rivals Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai, a high-voltage Group A encounter. With the Pakistan batting lineup known to struggle against left-arm pace, the debate around Arshdeep’s inclusion is bound to intensify.
While India’s dominant win against UAE showcased their bowling depth, the real test will come against Pakistan and stronger opponents later in the tournament. Whether the management sticks to their spin-heavy combination or reintroduces Arshdeep Singh into the playing XI remains to be seen.
