In a moment of pure cricketing delight and playful camaraderie, India A pacer Arshdeep Singh found himself showered with unexpected praise from his teammates following a thrilling two-wicket victory over Australia A. The win sealed the series 2-1 for India A in a tense encounter at Green Park on Sunday.
A viral clip, originally shared by Arshdeep on social media, captured the light-hearted banter. Teammates Abhishek Sharma and Ravi Bishnoi couldn’t help but laud Arshdeep’s surprise batting cameo. With a wide grin, Abhishek exclaimed, ‘Watching you bat reminded me of Chris Gayle,’ leaving the left-arm quick momentarily speechless. Bishnoi joined in, humorously declaring that his respect for Arshdeep as a cricketer had significantly increased after witnessing his composure with the bat under pressure. Arshdeep, visibly amused, simply turned the camera towards himself and quipped with a smile, ‘You heard it here first.’
While the post-match banter spread joy, the match itself was a hard-fought affair. India A, chasing a challenging target of 317, appeared to be cruising at 262/3 in the 35th over. However, a sudden collapse saw them lose five crucial wickets for just 39 runs, putting the outcome in serious doubt. It was then that Vipraj Nigam and Arshdeep Singh displayed incredible nerve, forging an unbeaten 21-run partnership for the ninth wicket. Their heroic stand guided the team across the finish line with 24 balls to spare.
Arshdeep, who stepped onto the pitch in the 44th over after Harshit Rana’s dismissal, faced only four deliveries. His vital contribution included a crucial six and an unbeaten 7 runs, perfectly complementing Nigam’s composed 24 not out.
Earlier in the innings, Prabhsimran Singh set an explosive foundation with a brilliant 68-ball 102. Captain Shreyas Iyer (62) and Riyan Parag (62) further built on this momentum, guiding India A through the middle overs. Despite a late fightback from Australia A’s leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha and off-spinner Todd Murphy, the resilient Indian lower order held firm to secure the victory.
Arshdeep’s day wasn’t just about his bat; he had also made an early impact with the ball. Striking twice to dismiss Mackenzie Harvey (7) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (5), he delivered a strong all-round performance, ultimately celebrated with laughter and camaraderie in the dressing room. He was compared to Chris Gayle after helping India close out the win over Australia A.