Has Arshdeep Singh earned Shubman Gill-level backing? Kris Srikkanth’s blunt take after India vs Australia 1st T20I
India’s team selection under head coach Gautam Gambhir has been under a lot of scrutiny. A recent debate arose when India’s most successful T20I bowler, Arshdeep Singh, was dropped from the Playing XI in the first T20I against Australia.
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Former Indian skipper Kris Srikkanth has now weighed in on the matter, as he remarked that while Arshdeep has been successful, he still hasn’t reached the level of someone like Shubman Gill.
Kris Srikkanth believes Arshdeep Singh hasn’t reached Shubman Gill’s level in Team India yet after the 1st T20I vs Australia
Arshdeep came up the ranks pretty quickly and soon became one of the key members of the Indian setup. He is the only Indian bowler to take more than 100 wickets in the 20-over format.
Despite all his good work and consistent performances, he has found himself warming the bench lately. He featured in just 2 games at the Asia Cup 2025
As India took on Australia in the first T20I of the five-match series in the absence, the left-arm pacer still found himself out of the XI, and Harshit Rana was picked over him. Reacting to the Punjab pacer’s exclusion, Srikkanth said,
More: ‘Arshdeep Singh deserves better’ — Ex-Gujarat star questions India for excluding top T20I wicket-taker in IND vs AUS 1st T20I at Canberra
“Unfortunately for Arshdeep Singh, he hasn’t reached Shubman Gill’s level yet in the team combination. That’s where a person like Shubman Gill scores over an Arshdeep Singh. Shubman Gill was dropped even in the Test series in Australia. But then he was made the captain, and he did brilliantly in England.”
Gill was given the long rope by the Indian management despite his initial failures and has now been handed the side’s leadership role in Tests and ODIs. He, however, repaid the faith, scoring more than 750 runs in the 5-match Test series against England in England.
Meanwhile, the first T20I between India and Australia in Canberra was called off due to rain. The sides will now clash on Friday, October 31st at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
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