"His performances have gone down since the last IPL" - Aakash Chopra questions Arshdeep Singh's recent T20I numbers

Aakash Chopra has highlighted that Arshdeep Singh has been found slightly wanting in T20I cricket since IPL 2023.

India posted 180/7 in 19.3 overs in a rain-truncated second T20I against South Africa in Gqeberha on Tuesday, December 12. Arshdeep went wicketless and conceded 31 runs in two overs as the hosts achieved the revised 15-over target of 152 with five wickets and seven deliveries to spare.

Reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra expressed disappointment about Arshdeep's recent T20I performances. He elaborated (5:30):

"I wanted to talk about one more thing from this match, that's Arshdeep. Is he not proving too expensive? If you see the last series as well, he played four matches, conceded more than 40 runs in his four overs in every game, and picked up a total of four wickets."

The former India opener added:

"I agree you are bowling the tough overs, at the top and the tail (of the innings), but others are also bowling. Everyone does not prove so expensive always. I am a huge Arshdeep Singh fan and I see him improving a lot but his performances have gone down since the last IPL."

Arshdeep picked up four wickets at an economy rate of 10.68 in the four T20Is he played against Australia at home. Although he might have gained confidence after a match-winning final over in the last T20I against the Aussies, he was once again taken to the cleaners in Tuesday's game.

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"It's not auguring well" - Aakash Chopra on Arshdeep Singh's falling numbers

Arshdeep Singh has been expensive both in the powerplay and at the death. [P/C: AP]

Aakash Chopra claimed Arshdeep Singh's nosediving numbers are not a great sign for the future. He said (6:20):

"His numbers have gone down drastically in the last six to seven months and that's not a good thing. It's not auguring well. We were talking about his chances of coming in the ODI World Cup squad."

The renowned commentator expressed concern about the left-arm seamer's recent profligacy, saying:

"However, now we are feeling that although he is our lead bowler in T20Is, he is leaking a lot of runs. That's something I am slightly worried about. Are you?"

Arshdeep picked up 33 wickets at a decent economy rate of 8.17 in 21 T20Is last year. He has accounted for 25 dismissals in 20 T20Is this year and has conceded an average of 9.34 runs per over.