'I'll go Ahead Regardless of What You Say': Arshdeep Singh Was Prepared to Defy Rohit Sharma to Bat Ahead of Jasprit Bumrah During IND vs PAK

With seven wickets from three matches, Arshdeep Singh is currently the joint-leading highest wicket-taker for India in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Arshdeep on Wednesday created a new India record by producing bowling figures of 4/9 – the best every by any from his country in the history of the competition.

While he might be in top form with the ball, Arshdeep is giving an equal importance to his batting and is working hard alongside batting coach Vikram Rathour.

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“We are always learning, always trying to get better at all the skills, be it bowling, batting, or fielding, because you never know when the team needs those runs,” Arshdeep told reporters on Wednesday.

“It can be two runs, four runs, anything. So, you just have to give your best. And I am trying to work as hard as possible with Vikram Bhai regarding my batting as well,” he added.

How seriously the 25-year-old takes his batting can be gauged from the fact that he insisted on batting ahead of Jasprit Bumrah during India’s high-voltage clash with Pakistan last Sunday.

“…Jassi bhai (Bumrah) was supposed to go before me, but I just went in after asking Rohit (Sharma). They were surprised with it, but I told them I will go up regardless of whatever you say,” he said.

“I will go at nine because I faced the quickest bowlers in the last game. So yeah, that’s the plan now. I am very confident about my batting. And be it fielding or bowling, you just try to keep getting better,” he added.

India played their first three matches of the first round in New York’s Nassau County Cricket Stadium, a venue which invited heavy scrutiny on account of tricky pitch that initially offered uneven bounce and remained a big challenge for the batters.

For their fourth and final match of Group A, India will be facing Canada in Florida before the competition shifts entirely to the Caribbean islands for the Super 8 stage for which the Rohit Sharma-led side has already qualified.

Arshdeep says the team will have to adapt to the different conditions and plan accordingly.

“The main thing is how we adapt to the conditions and to the situations. If there is help in the wicket, we try to get early wickets and restrict them (opponents) to a low total and if we are batting first, we try to make as many as possible and give the bowlers good enough chance to restrict the opposition,” he said.

With three wins out of three, India have so far been impressive despite the challenging surface that has tested their batters. Arshdeep says the players are trying to remain level-headed no matter if they win or lose.

“…the emotions stay the same…So yeah, just try to be stable enough, whether we win, whether we lose, and whether we have a good day or a bad day,” he said.

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