Ricky Ponting issues Arshdeep Singh warning to Team India for England

Arshdeep Singh was handed his maiden Test call-up for India's upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting on June 20 in Leeds. Arshdeep Singh is in line to make his Test debut in England after impressing one and all with his white-ball expertise and domestic numbers.

The left-arm pacer has so far played 21 first-class matches for Punjab and scalped 66 wickets at an amazing economy rate of 3.20, with the best figures of 6/40. He already has 99 wickets in just 63 T20Is and 14 wickets to his name in 9 ODIs for Team India so far.

Given his match-winning efforts and impressive red-ball numbers, especially county experience, Arshdeep was named in India’s squad for the upcoming Test series in England, which surprised many, but not his Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting.

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Ricky Ponting backs Arshdeep Singh for Test debut, calls him India’s X-Factor in England

Ricky Ponting feels that Arshdeep could be a key bowler for India in the upcoming Test series against England. He believes the conditions in England are perfect for Arshdeep’s style of bowling.

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Having already played for Kent in the County Championship with the Dukes ball, Arshdeep knows what to expect in English conditions, and the former Australian captain Ponting suggested India pick the PBKS pacer in the playing XI from the start of the series.

Ricky Ponting was quoted as saying by The ICC Review, “I would actually have him in their Test team at the start (of the England series). He's very skillful; he's played county cricket, he knows the conditions there, and I think the Dukes' ball will help him in the UK as well.”

Ricky Ponting urges India to use Arshdeep Singh's left-arm magic in England

Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh brings a left-arm angle to India’s pace attack, which is mostly dominated by the right-arm bowlers. And Ponting believes that having this variation can make a big difference in English conditions, saying it would be surprising if India didn’t use that luxury.

Ponting signed off by saying, “And I just think to have that point of difference, having a left-armer in your team, I think will be something that, if India doesn't do it, then it'll be a bit of a surprise to me. As we know, in England the ball still swings 30, 40, or 50 overs old.

So, to have someone that's got that swing bowling ability and a left-armer, I think, is something that the Indian team should definitely look out for on that tour.”

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Arshdeep Singh shines in IPL 2025 with PBKS

Recently, Ponting worked with Arshdeep in the IPL 2025, where Punjab Kings finished as the runners-up, losing the title to Royal Challengers Bengaluru on June 3. Arshdeep has taken 21 wickets in 17 games for the PBKS, and he was among the top wicket-takers this season.

Notably, India’s pace attack for the England Test series features Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, and Arshdeep Singh. They will have seam-bowling all-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shardul Thakur to support them on the tour.

Siraj is the most experienced bowler among them in English conditions. He has already played six Tests in England and taken 23 wickets.