Team India’s dynamic left-arm pacer, Arshdeep Singh, recently opened up about the cricketing legends who shaped his bowling style. Like many aspiring left-arm fast bowlers, Arshdeep drew significant inspiration from the iconic Pakistani bowler Wasim Akram and India’s celebrated Zaheer Khan.
“I don’t think I’ve missed any YouTube video compilation of left-arm pacers,” Arshdeep shared during a candid chat on ‘Breakfast with Champions,’ highlighting his dedication to studying the craft.
He specifically recalled his fascination with Wasim Akram’s bowling. “When I watched yorkers, I absolutely loved Wasim Akram’s compilation videos. It was always ‘Bas dande uda rhe’ (He was just rattling the stumps). Watching a left-arm seamer deliver those devastating inswingers and reverse swing deliveries to right-handed batsmen was incredibly enjoyable. What an incredible skill he possessed!”
Arshdeep also acknowledged the impact of Zaheer Khan’s mastery. “If I’m studying reverse swing, I make sure to watch videos of Zaheer Khan as well,” he added, emphasizing the diverse influences on his development.
The young bowler understands that such skills are honed through relentless effort. “This is a skill that demands a lot of hard work,” he explained. “Even if you watch interviews with someone like Malinga, he says the same thing: it’s not a skill you learn overnight.”
Arshdeep further elaborated on the importance of practice, a lesson instilled by his father and coach. “My father and coach always told me that the more you practice it, the more you will achieve mastery. If you practice with 80% effort, that becomes half in a real match situation.”
Despite playing only two matches in the recently concluded Asia Cup, Arshdeep made headlines by becoming the first Indian pacer to achieve 100 wickets in T20 cricket. His T20 International debut against England in July 2022 means he reached this impressive milestone in just three years and 74 days.
Arshdeep has proven particularly effective in the powerplay overs, securing 43 wickets in T20Is with an average of 20.06 and an economy of 7.50. No other bowler has taken more wickets in powerplays since his debut, showcasing his immediate impact.
His reliability extends to the crucial death overs, where he has successfully claimed 48 wickets.
Notably, 38 of Arshdeep’s 100 T20 wickets have come against left-handed batters, making him comfortably the most successful bowler against them since he started his international career.
The 2024 T20 World Cup stands out as his most successful tournament to date, where he picked up an impressive 17 wickets across eight innings.