Will Arshdeep Singh play Tests?

Reports emerged on Thursday (July 25) that India may be looking to take left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year. But is he ready to play Test cricket? 

According to the Times of India, India's selectors are considering picking Arshdeep for red-ball cricket, following an impressive 2024 T20 World Cup campaign which saw him finish as the tournament's joint-highest wicket-taker, alongside Afghanistan's Fazalhaq Farooqi. He has also reportedly been asked to play a few Duleep Trophy matches later this year in order to boost his chances.

This move comes somewhat out of the blue (quite fitting, as that is the only colour Arshdeep has worn in international cricket so far). Since his India debut in 2022, he has played 52 T20Is and 6 ODIs, picking up 79 and 10 wickets respectively.

Arshdeep made his name in T20 cricket, starring in the IPL for Punjab Kings before being picked to represent India. He has been a valuable addition to the national team as a left-arm pacer who can move the ball up front, before returning to close out innings at the death.

Arshdeep Singh: The T20 top and tail specialist

Arshdeep's role in T20s contributes to him being a genuine wicket-taker — with assistance from the new ball and batters' increased risk-taking in the end overs. Of course, this also comes with a high economy rate (8.4 in T20Is). The closest phase of T20 cricket to red-ball cricket (in the sense that wickets must be taken by bowlers, rather than simply happen) is probably the middle overs.

Read more: The best way to take wickets in T20s? Don’t look for them

Arshdeep's record in overs 7-16 of T20Is is less than impressive. Eight wickets at an average of 31 and economy rate of more than nine an over may be cause for concern, but India have been wise to bowl him in this phase only 23 times in 52 matches. The number of wickets is less of an issue than that relatively high economy rate.

This may raise a slight red flag when it comes to Arshdeep's selection in red-ball cricket. But equally, there is limited value in going off these numbers. What does his first-class record look like?

Arshdeep's first-class record: Not a lot, not a lot of good

The most revealing statistic about Arshdeep in red-ball cricket is perhaps the simplest one. He has played just 16 matches at the first class level, across five seasons. Part of this is down to his participation in the IPL, and his emergence as a T20I regular for India.

But the figures themselves are not hugely promising either. In his first seven Ranji Trophy matches for Punjab (spread across three seasons), Arshdeep took 25 wickets at an average of 23.8 runs per dismissal. A promising start, but still barely a start.

Last year, he was signed up by Kent, and played five matches in the County Championship. A return of 13 wickets at an average of 41.8 is worrying, but he did bowl on some very flat surfaces. In an interview with Sportstar earlier this year, he did speak about how the Kent stint helped him develop the habit of hitting a consistent line and length as opposed to T20 cricket where variations are key.

In the most recent domestic season, Arshdeep played two matches for India A, against the England Lions, and two for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy. He took 11 wickets at 38.9, a slightly worrying record for an Indian seamer on home turf.

Unsurprisingly, Arshdeep has been vocal about his desire to represent India in Test cricket, something he has been encouraged to work towards by senior paceman Jasprit Bumrah as well. The pair have combined well in T20Is, and to see them dovetail successfully in Test cricket would be ideal for India.

Should Arshdeep be in contention for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?

Given Arshdeep's average first-class career so far, it is understandable if the selectors have asked him to play in the Duleep Trophy before they make a final call on him. His T20 skills are not the most transferable to Test cricket, particularly in Australia. Swing bowlers in general have limited utility Down Under, if they do not also attempt to use the surface itself to trouble batters.

Arshdeep has also had issues even in T20 cricket, with being a bit 'floaty' when pushing the ball fuller in attempts to generate swing. In addition, his ability to land wide yorkers and bowl deceptive off-cutters are valuable in T20s, but far less so in red-ball cricket.

India's only left-arm pacer in Test cricket since Zaheer Khan retired in 2014 has been T Natarajan, who played a solitary match against Australia in 2021. The dearth of this bowling type, even on the domestic circuit, perhaps explains why the selectors are keen on someone who has proven he can play at least one format at the international level.

Indian selectors have also been keen on consistency across all three formats; in terms of coaches, captains and players. This is another point to explain why they may want to bring Arshdeep into the red-ball fold. A point in the selectors' favour is that their last surprise pick in Tests was Dhruv Jurel, who impressed one and all against England at home.

The train of thought around Arshdeep, then, can take one of two tracks. One, he is an excellent white-ball bowler with a middling red-ball record as well as limited experience in the format. Two, he is India's best left-arm seamer full stop. At this point in time, it appears the selectors have opted for track number two, but one is a fair point that can be raised in opposition.

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