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Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has lauded Arshdeep Singh for adding a new variation which was on showcase in India's T20 World Cup 2026 opener against USA. Ponting said that he worked closely with Arshdeep at Punjab Kings (PBKS) as their head coach. He pointed out the delivery that goes across to the right-handed batter.
"One thing I did notice last night is actually he's developed in his bowling a different slow ball than he usually has. He bowled like almost one that rolled out the side of his fingers yesterday like a little in-swinger type ball to a left-hander which will obviously swing a little bit across the right-hander as well. So that's a new skill that he's added," Ponting said on the ICC review.
The left-arm pacer claimed two wickets, conceding just 18 runs from his quota of four overs against the USA. He opened the bowling with Mohammed Siraj who took three wickets on his T20I comeback as Jasprit Bumrah was unwell. With Bumrah coming back to the playing eleven, it is yet to be seen whether Arshdeep or Siraj gets dropped from the side.
Ponting says Arshdeep deserves a place in playing XI
Ahead of the clash against Namibia on February 12, Ponting wants the team management to stick with Arshdeep in the playing eleven. The Aussie great listed out what Arshdeep brings to the table and how he is good with the new ball and the old.
"He's a highly skilled bowler anyway. Ravi mentioned it, the fastest 100 T20 wickets, that speaks volumes for what he can do with the new ball and with the old ball. And he's very much, like all fast bowlers, really very much a confidence and rhythm bowler. You can see, you know, you can pretty much see with Arshdeep in his run-up. You know if he's on with the way that he's attacking the crease and how hard he's hitting the crease. And yeah, the skills are all there. You know, the in-swinger to the right-hand is there. The out-swinger to the right-hand is there. The around-the-wicket variations are there for him. His yorkers are as good as anybody. So he very much deserves his place in this Indian starting XI," he said.
Arshdeep’s T20I numbers
Among pacers, Arshdeep is the seventh-highest wicket-taker. From 77 T20Is, he has 120 wickets at an average of 18.88, featuring a fifer and two four-fers.
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