"Want To Work On My Consistency": Arshdeep Singh To NDTV After Being Named In India T20I Squad

23-year-old pacer Arshdeep Singh has played in four seasons of Indian Premier League (IPL) so far, and has managed to create a reputation for himself and that is -- being the death overs specialist. The Punjab Kings bowler can nail yorkers at will at the death and this is the biggest reason, that he has received a call-up to the senior national side for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, beginning June 9 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

In a conversation with NDTV, Arshdeep talked about his immediate feelings after being named in the T20I squad and how over the years, he managed to nail the art of bowling yorkers.

"We were travelling in the team bus on Sunday when I got the message of being picked (in Indian T20I side), then I did not feel much on how to react as we were going for the game. Right now, I am feeling really good as congratulatory messages are still coming in and my family is also being congratulated. I am grateful after being picked in the squad," Arshdeep told NDTV.

When asked how he prepares for every game, the young pacer said: "You always have butterflies in your stomach, no matter how much cricket you play. The excitement to play cricket is always there in a cricketer. But when you get the role clarity from your team, it makes things easier in terms of execution. I follow my routines and processes before each game and I try to make sure I do not miss them."

In the 2022 IPL season, Arshdeep took 10 wickets with an economy rate of 7.70 and an average of 38.50. He might not have many wickets in his credit, but the stats won't reveal how he managed to make the death overs his own by delivering yorkers with great precision.

"I guess, it is all about repetition (on how he has managed to deliver yorkers on a consistent basis). Yorker is a delivery that you learn to perfect after bowling it ball after ball. It is based on how you feel on that day and how the wicket is. The credit goes to my bowling coach Jaswant Rai and also the bowling of PBKS-- Damien Wright. They have worked a lot with me, before the match, Wright used to tell me that I should practice bowling yorkers with the wet ball as well because if dew comes in, then there are chances of missing the yorkers," said Arshdeep.

"I want to work on my consistency. I want to be more consistent. Bowling coach Paras Mhambrey sir would be there, Rahul Dravid sir would be there, I will try to pick their brains and I will try to figure out in what mental state the player should be in," he added.

Last year, Arshdeep was named in India's squad as a net bowler for the series against Sri Lanka in July. After some positive COVID-19 cases within the camp, he was added to the main squad, but he is still waiting to make his debut.

"That experience of being in the squad was a very good experience. It was my first time travelling with the team. You always get to learn, you get to know about their mindset. I was always trying to pick their brains," said the 23-year-old.

Lastly, talking about his experience of working with Kagiso Rabada at Punjab Kings, Arshdeep said: "Rabada is a nice and humble person. He always gives his best for the country and franchise. He is a very good bowler, I am really grateful that I got the opportunity to share the dressing room with him. We always talked about what his mindset is in different situations. I guess we talked about that and I learnt a lot by picking his brains."

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Punjab Kings Arshdeep Singh Cricket Kagiso Rabada Umran Malik