Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa said the Indian team should be picking Arshdeep Singh over Harshit Rana. Although Uthappa did acknowledge that Rana can offer batting lower down the order, he would note that having Axar Patel in the side can fill that void by enabling the side to have six bowling options and eight batting options.
“I like Harshit as a bowler; he’s immensely talented, but I prefer Arshdeep over Harshit in any circumstances. As batter, if Harshit can hit three sixes in ten balls, I think Arshdeep can hit two at this point. What he brings to the table is far more valuable than Harshit at this point,” Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.
“In my view, Axar is a very underrated bowler. Yes, Kuldeep is amazing, and if the conditions allow three spinners, then unfortunately, Arshdeep has to miss out, which I don’t like. I think Arshdeep, irrespective of any wicket, should play. Which means unfortunately, Kuldeep has to be out because Varun is the No.1 T20I bowler in the world,” he said.
“Between Axar and Kuldeep, I always feel [that] having eight batters is important. And if you have eight batters and six bowlers, that’s the sweetest spot where you can stay in the T20I game… There is no better thing, no better blessing you can get in a team; you have to maintain that,” Uthappa added.
On Mohammed Shami
Uthappa also spoke about the exclusion of Mohammed Shami from the upcoming ODI squad against New Zealand. “I think they want him [Shami] to be 100 percent fit. I don’t think he’s 100 percent fit in my view. One thing you need to understand [is] that you can play first-class cricket. I think his one problem is, and again, I haven’t talked to Shami. I’ve no information about this, but the one [thing] I know [is] that there is a concern for the selectors or the BCCI is that his left knee swells. He gets a lot of swelling there, right?
“I don’t know if that is fully addressed, so I think maybe that is it. Again, I don’t know. It’s my speculation. I would love to learn more about this. I haven’t put a lot of effort to learn more about this.”
