AUS vs IND: Ravichandran Ashwin slams Gautam Gambhir over Arshdeep Singh’s exclusion from Indian T20I squad

As a former off-spinner, there is a storm brewing in the new era of Indian cricket Ravichandran Ashwin has publicly expressed frustration at the consistent omission of Arshdeep Singh from India’s recent T20I line-ups.

Since then Gautam Gambhir has taken over as head coach, the team’s selection strategy has come under scrutiny and Ashwin’s strong words have only intensified the debate.

Arshdeep, India’s leading T20I wicket-taker and the first Indian to cross the 100-wicket mark in the format, has been sidelined despite being crucial in the 2024 T20 World Cup victory. His ability to swing the new ball and dominate at the death made him India’s go-to pacer during crucial phases, but the new regime’s preference for batting depth has seen him warm the bench. The 26-year-old’s absence from the playing XI against Australiaespecially after an exceptional World Cup campaign, has led to widespread disbelief.

R. Ashwin questions the logic and strategy of Gautam Gambhir and the team management

Ashwin did not mince his words as he took on the current team management led by Gambhir and highlighted their decision-making in recent T20I selections. On his YouTube channel, Ashwin claimed that Arshdeep’s name should automatically follow jasprit bumrah‘s in every T20 squad discussion, insisting that the left-arm pacer’s exclusion makes little sense given his record. He noted that Arshdeep, who has 101 wickets in 65 T20Is at an average of 18.76, has repeatedly performed under pressure both in the powerplay and at the death.

Yet, in the second T20I against Australia in Melbourne, India opted to go with a spin-heavy line-up, with Harshit Rana a place. While Rana scored a useful 35 runs, his expensive spell allowed Australia’s top order to take control. He warned that keeping a proven match winner on the sidelines risks damaging his rhythm and confidence, recalling that even champion bowlers can become rusty without regular match exposure.

“Arshdeep Singh’s name should be the second name on the list of your fast bowlers when Bumrah plays. If Bumrah doesn’t play, Arshdeep becomes your first bowler on that team list. I just can’t understand how Arshdeep Singh continues to miss the XI in this side. I don’t really get it,” said Aswin.

“Of course, Harshit Rana had a good day with the bat. He batted decently, but this isn’t about him at all. It’s about Arshdeep Singh. The performance he put in in the 2024 T20 World Cup was impressive, but since then he has consistently found ways to stay out of the team. He has been on the bench so much that he has lost his rhythm a bit.” the 39-year-old added.

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Arshdeep Singh’s continued negligence raises broader concerns

Beyond individual criticism, Ashwin’s comments point to a deeper problem: a philosophical divide within India’s new think tank. Since taking charge, Gambhir has focused on strengthening batting depth and introducing new faces, but that approach has come at the cost of ignoring an in-form specialist. Arshdeep’s prolonged absence, despite being India’s most consistent T20 bowler, has become emblematic of the uneasy balance between experimentation and performance-based selection.

His struggle for playing time was already evident during the match Asia Cup 2025where he looked somewhat rusty after a long spell on the bench, something Ashwin highlighted as a direct result of poor rotation. The veteran off-spinner stressed that leaving out such an important player sends the wrong message to the dressing room, where players may question the reward system for excellence.

“We saw in the Asia Cup that he bowled well, he came back very well in the spell, but he looked rusty. Your champion bowler will look rusty if you don’t play him. So it’s a very difficult situation if you are Arshdeep Singh, and I really hope he gets the place he deserves. He deserves to be there, and it’s not about anyone else. He has a place in the team. Please play against him,” Ashwin concluded.

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