Arshdeep had only seven first-class caps when Kent signed him up for five matches for the 2023 County Championship. It is not common for Indian cricketers to play first-class cricket overseas with so few matches under their belt.

This included a lone appearance in 2022/23, though on that occasion, he claimed 4-30 to help Punjab beat defending champions Madhya Pradesh by an innings.

Batting at No.11 on debut, Arshdeep was dropped off the first ball he faced, and finished on one not out as Kent folded for 301. Surrey were 18-2 by stumps on day one. Coming on first-change, Arshdeep had bowled three maiden overs.

Kent captain Jack Leaning rotated his fast bowlers – Matt Quinn, Wes Agar, and Arshdeep – on the second morning as Surrey collapsed. At 39-4, Ben Foakes walked out to join Jamie Smith.

Like Arshdeep, Foakes had a point to prove as well. Despite doing a sound job for England in Test cricket on either side of the stumps, he had to make way for the now-fit Jonny Bairstow for the Ashes squad, and this was only his second County Championship match since deselection.

On day one, he took a spectacular catch to dismiss Hamidullah Qadri off Gus Atkinson. However, he found day two more difficult.

Bowling from over the wicket, Arshdeep pitched the ball on the stumps. It held its line to hit the pad, and Foakes walked back for a six-ball three. Surrey eventually capitulated to 145 all-out, with Quinn (3-22) and Agar (3-32) doing the bulk of the damage. Arshdeep’s figures were 2-43 after he dismissed Dan Worrall for the final wicket of the innings.

Watch Arshdeep Singh pin Ben Foakes leg-before on County Championship debut:

Arshdeep Singh has his first #LVCountyChamp wicket!

The @KentCricket bowler gets one to nip back and dismisses Ben Foakes pic.twitter.com/RS4TTfAjut

— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 12, 2023