Arshdeep Singh recently found himself in a lighthearted dilemma after participating in an interactive YouTube interview. During the session, the left-arm pacer was asked to pick his top five Indian bowlers based on their skills and overall talent. Arshdeep named a stellar lineup featuring Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
However, putting legendary off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the fifth spot left Arshdeep feeling a bit guilty. Recognizing Ashwin’s massive stature in world cricket, Arshdeep offered an immediate apology on camera and humorously promised to reach out to his former IPL captain personally to explain his rankings.
While explaining his choices on Krishnank Atrey's YouTube channel, Arshdeep shared his detailed reasoning for each placement. He admitted to a slight personal bias when selecting his top bowler, placing veteran swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the summit.
Moving down the order, he prioritized seamers before transitioning to spinners based on their unique skill sets and personal camaraderie.
"Bhuvi bhai is at the top because he is my personal favourite as well. I really like him, so I'm a little biased. I'll rate all the fast bowlers first. At number two, I'd go with Shami bhai because, as you know, he can seam the ball on any wicket. His bowling is excellent, and he presents the seam perfectly."
Continuing his list, Arshdeep highlighted the distinct talent of chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav and praised his Punjab teammate Yuzvendra Chahal for his outstanding career records.
"Third would be Kuldeep Yadav because he has a very rare skill set, a left-arm Chinaman. Then there's Yuzi bhai, as we are teammates in the Punjab team, and his record is also excellent. He has taken so many wickets."
The most talked-about moment came when Arshdeep reached the fifth position. He placed Ravichandran Ashwin at number five, not out of disrespect, but simply because he ran out of slots after prioritizing his fast-bowling favorites and team colleagues. Acknowledging Ashwin’s history as his first IPL captain during their time together at Punjab Kings, Arshdeep made sure to clarify his intent.
Addressing the legendary spinner directly, Arshdeep remarked:
"I wouldn't want to rate Ash bhai last, but there were no positions left, so he comes in at number five. He is great, but Ash bhai was also my first captain in the IPL with Punjab. Sorry, Ash bhai, I'll personally message you."
Arshdeep Singh, who currently features exclusively in white-ball cricket for Team India, is taking a brief break from action. India is gearing up for a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka scheduled to begin on August 15 in Galle.
Arshdeep's most recent international appearance was during India's three-match ODI series against England, led by Shubman Gill, which India lost 2-1. Arshdeep struggled in the deciding match, conceding 72 runs without taking a wicket as India suffered a 27-run defeat. Prior to the ODIs, India endured a tough five-match T20I series against England, losing 4-1 with one game washed out, though Arshdeep finished as India's leading wicket-taker in that series with four wickets. Following the England tour, he was rested for the three-match T20I series in Zimbabwe, where a Shreyas Iyer-led Indian side executed a clean sweep.
