Arshdeep Singh got frustrated being benched on England tour? Pacer finally breaks silence

The 26-year-old India National Cricket Team left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has finally opened up on being benched for almost two months on the recent England tour.

Arshdeep Singh has revealed how he kept himself motivated after not getting a chance to feature in the playing XI of the India National Cricket Team in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.

Arshdeep Singh yet to receive Test cap

The Punjab speedster Arshdeep is arguably one of the most reliable pacers in the world, and he is the highest wicket-taker for India in the history of T20I cricket.

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Arshdeep can be considered an all-format player as he remains part of India's T20I, ODI, and Test squads in all the important matches. However, he has only got a handful of opportunities in 50-over cricket and is yet to make his Test debut.

Many expected Arshdeep, who is one of only three Indian bowlers to start his T20I career with a maiden over, to finally get his Test cap on the England tour, but it didn't happen.

He was among the three unlucky Indian players who did not get any opportunities in the Test series against England. Abhimanyu Easwaran, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav were the players who were kept on the sidelines by head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Notably, the left-arm pacer was in line to play the fourth Test match, which commenced on July 23 at Old Trafford in Manchester, but he was ruled out of the match.

Ahead of the match, Arshdeep Singh suffered an "impact injury" to his left thumb while bowling in the nets in Beckenham, and the young pacer Anshul Kamboj got the opportunity to make his debut.

It's not like there was a lack of bowling - Arshdeep Singh

On the sidelines of the Duleep Trophy, where Arshdeep is playing for the North Zone, he talked about whether he got frustrated during the England tour and how he motivated himself.

The pacer stated that he put his 100% in training sessions and kept himself fully ready to play whenever he got a chance.

"When you are not playing, you just try to push your limits. The training is almost the same. You just put in more work when you are not playing. More overs, more strength work, more training, so that whenever you get the chance, you are ready and fully fit to go," he said, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

"I don't know how many thousands of balls I would have bowled in practice. It's not like there was a lack of bowling. I was properly managing my workload. The aim is to stay ready whenever you get a chance."

I had started practising with a white ball - Arshdeep Singh

Arshdeep Singh further said that he started preparing for the Asia Cup 2025, which will start on September 9, in England itself, as he practiced with the white ball. He said:

"Right from the last Test [at The Oval], I had started practising with a white ball. I didn't know that there was a Duleep Trophy match in between. At the end of the day, red ball, white ball or pink ball, you have to play cricket and try and enjoy it.

"I have got a chance here [at the Duleep Trophy], will play with a white ball next [at the Asia Cup]. So the aim is to put in a lot of overs under your belt and play any format.

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