"Arshdeep Singh is a big performer"- Ravichandran Ashwin openly blames Gautam Gambhir for the pacer's snub against UAE in the Asia Cup 2025

Arshdeep Singh is India’s leading wicket-taker in T20I cricket.

Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin was not happy with left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh being left out of the Indian XI for the recent UAE match in the Asia Cup 2025. This was India’s tournament opener, which was played in Dubai on September 10, and the Men in Blue emerged victorious by nine wickets.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav had won the toss and chose to bowl first. UAE was shot out for 57 runs, despite being 47/2 at one stage, with Alishan Sharafu top-scoring with 22 runs. Kuldeep Yadav took 4/7, while Shivam Dube took three wickets for four runs as UAE lost their last eight wickets for just ten runs in the end.

In response, Abhishek Sharma slammed 30 runs in 16 balls, while Shubman Gill made 20* in 9 balls as India chased down 57 with 9 wickets in hand and 93 balls remaining.

However, despite the Indian team’s dominating win, the Men in Blue’s playing XI was a matter of concern for former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

Surprising that Arshdeep has been dropped: Ravichandran Ashwin blames Gautam Gambhir

India’s top wicket-taker in T20Is, Arshdeep Singh, was left off the playing eleven for the September 10 T20 Asia Cup 2025 encounter against the UAE. India only selected two pace-bowling options, Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya, and one front-line pacer, Jasprit Bumrah.

Ravichandran Ashwin, a former spinner for India, is dissatisfied with the current bowling lineup. Since head coach Gautam Gambhir took over, Ashwin believes Arshdeep Singh, who should be on the team, has been benched.

“It’s surprising that Arshdeep has been dropped, but it’s not a new thing. It has been happening since Gautam Gambhir started coaching. Arshdeep did not play the entire Champions Trophy as well. It has been a bit of a theme. Maybe considering Dubai conditions, they prefer spinners. When Gambhir won the title for KKR, he was also going all-out on spin,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

“This is the theme that we could see until the T20 World Cup. But I doubt this combination can work against a good team. It’s quite risky. Arshdeep is a big performer. He was phenomenal in the World Cup against South Africa. To keep a man like that out for a very long time is going to be hard. I know Shivam Dube took a few wickets, but this is not a bowling combination I would be convinced with,” the 38-year-old added.

Though Arshdeep has not participated in any games since the home white-ball series against England, Ashwin has supported Arshdeep’s inclusion in the starting lineup for the September 14 game against Pakistan.

He believes that when other bowlers are being targeted, Suryakumar Yadav will turn to the left-arm pacer.

“The rest of the bowlers will be targeted, so you need a good bowler to get through those overs. The World Cup looks a bit far away now. But you never know; if you can’t fix these combinations… Arshdeep is high quality, and you have to play him,” he further added. 

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