"The yorker has become a cliche nowadays"- Arshdeep Singh on comparison with Jasprit Bumrah
It's hard to believe that Arshdeep Singh bowled more yorkers than Jasprit Bumrah in IPL 2024. Bumrah is himself known as the master of the art and is currently the best exponent of yorkers in the world.
Recently, the left-arm seamer was also crowned the T20 World champion and had a fantastic tournament in the USA and the West Indies. Alongside, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh formed a formidable pair of fast bowling for India which was effective with the new ball and the death as well.
In the T20 World Cup 2024, Arshdeep picked up 17 wickets in just 8 matches at an average of 12.64 and finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker of the tournament along with Fazalhaq Farooqi. Arshdeep also credited his wickets to the pressure created by Jasprit Bumrah from the other end.
Arshdeep Singh opens up on bowling more yorkers than Jasprit Bumrah in IPL 2024
When asked about bowling more yorkers than Jasprit Bumrah in IPL, Arshdeep responded that it's not necessary to bowl yorkers on every pitch. He gave the example of New York where he didn't need to bowl the yorkers as the ball was seaming around and helping the fast bowlers. Contrary to this, the Yorkers were the best option on flat wickets in the IPL.
"The yorker has become like a cliche nowadays. In New York, you didn’t have to bowl yorkers. Hitting the length was creating problems for the batsmen. It has become a norm that you must bowl yorkers in the death overs but I think you can’t bowl yorkers on every pitch," Arshdeep replied during a chat with The Indian Express.
You have to adapt when bowling at the death - Arshdeep Singh
The young left-armer mentioned that the bowlers need to adapt according to the conditions while bowling at the death. He claimed that the bowlers need to be flexible in T20 cricket.
"When bowling in the death, you have to adapt. On certain pitches, you might end up bowling 20 slower ones out of the 24 deliveries. In the IPL, where you are playing on flat wickets, bowling a yorker is the only option," Arshdeep said.
"When Jassi bhai (Jasprit Bumrah) is not overdoing the yorker, it’s because he knows he might end up conceding runs. In T20 bowling you can’t be rigid. You need to keep an open mind as well," he added.
Arshdeep Singh has played 52 T20Is so far and picked up 79 wickets at an average of 19.10. He can swing the new ball and can be effective at the death with his yorkers.
The 25-year-old bowled some crucial overs in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024. He provided important breakthroughs with the new ball consistently and was good at the death as well.
In the final, he bowled the penultimate over and conceded just 4 runs to help India tighten its grip on the game. Hardik Pandya successfully defended 16 runs in the last over to help India lift the T20 World Cup for the second time.
