The BCCI on Sunday named an 18-member squad for Team India's upcoming T20I assignment at home - a five-match T20I series against South Africa starting June 9. The announcement witnessed the return of some big-name players while two uncapped stars have been rewarded for their splendid show in the ongoing 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL). And former India cricketer Virender Sehwag was full of praise for one of the newbies of the Indian team.
Sehwag hailed the selection of Arshdeep Singh, who has performed impressively for Punjab Kings in IPL 2022, picking 10 wickets in 14 games. What made him a standout during the season was his bowling in the death overs where he has conceded at just 7.91 runs an over, the second-best economy rate by a pacer (minimum 60 balls) after Jasprit Bumrah (7.66) and has picked four wickets as well.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Sehwag admitted the difficult role he has been given by the PBKS team this season and said that he has only seen former cricketers Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra do that during his playing days.
“Arshdeep has impressed me because he bowls two of the last three overs for Punjab Kings. He may not have that many wickets, but his economy rate is brilliant. He the bowler who bowls one over with the new ball and two in the slog overs. I have only seen Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra do that during my time. Now, its Arshdeep and Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar as well. It is a very difficult job to bowl in the slog overs,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Arshdeep has impressed me because he bowls two of the last three overs for Punjab Kings. He may not have that many wickets, but his economy rate is brilliant. He the bowler who bowls one over with the new ball and two in the slog overs. I have only seen Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra do that during my time. Now, its Arshdeep and Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar as well. It is a very difficult job to bowl in the slog overs,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Arshdeep was among the few uncapped players retained by a franchise before the start of the IPL 2022 season. Last year, he had bagged 18 wickest for Punjab Kings in 12 games at an average of 19, an economy rate of 8.27 and a wicket every 13.77 deliveries.