Arshdeep Singh picked in India Playing XI vs Pakistan, star OUT

India’s decision to leave Arshdeep Singh out of the playing XI in their Asia Cup 2025 opener has ignited a storm of debate among cricket experts and former cricketers.

Despite being one of India’s most dangerous T20 bowlers, Arshdeep Singh was sidelined as India opted for just one pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, who had the supporting hands of Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube.

Surprisingly, they went with three spinners—Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy—to have batting till the number 8. The move paid off as India thrashed the UAE by nine wickets, but the exclusion of Arshdeep Singh didn’t sit well with many.

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Murali Kartik questions India’s selection after Arshdeep Singh's shock exclusion

Recently, Murali Kartik couldn’t hide his disappointment as he pointed out how baffling it was that such a promising bowler, known for his pace and swing, was overlooked not just in this Asia Cup 2025 game but also in the recent Test series in England, where conditions screamed for pace.

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Murali Kartik said on Cricbuzz, “The only way I'm trying to think about this team is, is there any way of fitting Arshdeep Singh? He's too good a bowler to be missing out. He's sat out enough. I thought he was going to play because he's been one of the highest wicket takers in T20Is. That hasn't happened today. I just hope that he's not languishing in the reserves when he's bowling well.”

I'll take Shivam Dube out for Arshdeep Singh: Murali Kartik

Kartik offered a bold suggestion to drop Shivam Dube from the playing XI. With Axar Patel’s all-round abilities, India could afford to lose a batter and give space to Arshdeep. He argued that a more balanced lineup with a strong bowling attack could serve India a better combination.

The former Indian cricketer further explained, “I'll take Shivam Dube out. Because Axar Patel gives you both. He can be the floater. He can play the big shots. Axar can play against seam bowling as well."

If you're keeping Shivam Dube only predominantly to play the spinners, I think maybe then he's wasted. If I can find Arshdeep, and maybe one batter less, the responsibility goes up, and you've got a quality bowling attack that is well-rounded.”

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Harsha Bhogle also shared his thoughts on the debate. He questioned the logic of having deep batting at the expense of bowling strength, hinting that the team’s approach might be clouded by convention rather than performance. Bhogle felt Shivam Dube could make way for Arshdeep.

Harsha Bhogle issues a stern warning to Gautam Gambhir and India

Bhogle also acknowledged that Axar’s presence is vital for any spin-heavy attack. But he also warned that Arshdeep’s talent shouldn’t go to waste, urging the selectors to rethink their strategies before it’s too late, as they are gearing up for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

Harsha Bhogle said, “My view is that Axar Patel walks into the side every single day. Also, if you're going to be spin-centric, you want his overs as well. So, if you want Arshdeep Singh, the only person that can go out is Shivam Dube, or you can play Sanju Samson at 3 and not play Tilak Verma.”

He suggested that India should go with seven batting options, but Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir want batting up to number 8. Bhogle signed off by saying, “So, my fear is that Arshdeep is going to be on the fringes.”