"Amazed He Wasn't...": India Pacer's Video Viral, Fans Demand Test Call-Up

While Team India recovers from a 3-1 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, an old video of another Indian pacer has gone viral, prompting fans to call for his selection into the Test team. In the video, pacer Arshdeep Singh, playing for Kent in the County Championship in England, clean bowled a batter with an in-swinging delivery. The video has received a lot of attention on X, with people questioning why Arshdeep - India's second-highest wicket-taker in T20Is - wasn't considered for selection for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The video shows Arshdeep bowling a ripper, taking advantage of the seam and bowling a sharp delivery that cuts back in and dislodges the stumps of a left-hander.

With a five-match Test series against England to follow in June 2025, fans raised the possibility of him being a part of the India squad.

"Why was he not in BGT?" questioned one user.

"Isn't this guy swinging the heck out of the cherry and he could have come very handy Down Under alongside (Jasprit) Bumrah? Why don't we play a bowler in Test cricket by judging his performance in ODIs like Arshdeep?" said another.

"Get him in the squad for the England tour," said a third.

"I was amazed why he wasn't given a chance in red ball cricket after the heroics of T20WC he showed good promise with his swing bowling on top," said yet another user.

Why was he not in BGT. — Only Option - Trader (@WithOnlyOption) January 7, 2025

@Divya06317132
Isnt this guy is swinging the heck out of the cherry and he could have come very handy downunder along Bumrah ? Why we don't play a bowler to in test cricket by judging his performance in ODIs ,like Arshdeep ? — Aurora (@Rahat1314823) January 7, 2025

Get him in the squad for England tour — Desi Engineer (@desi_engineer2) January 7, 2025

I was amazed why he wasn't given a chance in red ball cricket after the heroics of T20WC he showed good promise with his swing bowling on top. — Sibtain Raza (@Sibtainrazajami) January 7, 2025

One of the best swing bowlers in the country at the moment, Arshdeep has primarily played in T20Is for India, given his ability to swing in the powerplay and nail yorkers at the death. In white-ball cricket, Arshdeep has taken 95 wickets in 60 T20Is, becoming the country's second-highest T20I wicket-taker.

However, Arshdeep's first-class numbers are not as impressive as his T20 figures. Arshdeep averages over 30 in first-class cricket at a strike of 56.9, perhaps explaining why he hasn't been considered for red-ball selection despite his impressive swinging ability.

The left-arm pacer is a contender for India's squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, but given that he has played only eight ODIs, it won't be a surprise to see Arshdeep miss out.