Team India speedster Arshdeep Singh has once again found himself on the bench, as he has not been named in the playing XI for the first T20I against Australia at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday, October 29.

The left-arm bowler was also not part of the first-choice playing XI during the 2025 Asia Cup, where the Men in Blue preferred extra spin and batting depth. Despite being India’s leading wicket-taker in the T20I format, Arshdeep has played only sporadically since the five-match home series against England earlier this year.

In 2025, Arshdeep has featured in just five matches, picking up six wickets at an average of 29.17 and an economy rate of 8.90. He was last seen during the three-match ODI series against Australia, playing in the first two matches. However, the pacer struggled with cramps during the second ODI at the Adelaide Oval and was subsequently sidelined for the third ODI in Sydney.

Fans have expressed their displeasure on social media over the team management’s ongoing trend of keeping Arshdeep Singh on the bench, especially given that the pace and bounce-friendly conditions in Australia suit his style of bowling.

Notably, Arshdeep Singh has an impressive record on Australian soil, having picked 10 wickets in six T20I matches. He was among India’s first-choice bowlers during Jasprit Bumrah’s absence in the 2022 T20 World Cup, which was also held in Australia. During that tournament, he emerged as one of the team’s key performers, picking 10 wickets in six matches at an average of 15.60 and an economy rate of 7.80.

While Arshdeep has progressed steadily since then, it appears that team management currently does not have him included in their plans from a combination perspective.

In the first T20I of the series, Team India have been put into bat first by Australia captain Mitchell Marsh. At the time of writing, openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill are ready to face the opening over.
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