When the squad for the ODI series was announced and Jasprit Bumrah’s name wasn’t on the sheet, Sri Lanka would have taken a sigh of relief. But the hosts weren’t the only ones who would have been happy. The spearhead of the Indian bowling lineup sparks fear in the opposition and can turn things around on his own. But his exclusion means that one gets a chance to show their mettle.
Mohammed Siraj, who’s become India’s second-most dependable player due to Mohammed Shami’s absence, will surely start in the India vs Sri Lanka 1st ODI. The pitch at the R. Premadasa Stadium offers assistance to spinners, and playing more than two pacers isn’t the best option. So that means that Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Harshit Rana will contest for one spot.
Death bowling to decide fate
Unfortunately for Harshit, as a right-arm fast bowler, he can’t make the side with Siraj already there. The other two, Arshdeep and Khaleel, are both left-arm pacers and will have to duke it out to make the cut. Ultimately, it’ll be Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma’s decision. Do they want an in-form Arshdeep or an inspired Khaleel who hasn’t played an ODI for India in 5 years?
To decide between the two, they’ll have to look into what they both bring to the table. Both are great with the new ball as their swing bowlers. However, if we were to compare, we’d have to give an edge to Arshdeep. He’s much more tried and tested on the international stage and has much better control as well.
Having two pacers means that both will have to bowl at the death as well. Arshdeep showed in the T20 World Cup that he’s up there with the best when it comes to bowling at the end of the innings. Khaleel’s record in the IPL while bowling in the middle and death isn’t great, and having played just 11 ODIs, with the last one coming in 2019, trusting him won’t be easy for the Indian management.
Arshdeep Singh vs Khaleel Ahmed ODI bowling stats
| Player | Inns | Wkts | Avg | Econ | SR | 5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arshdeep Singh | 5 | 10 | 18.40 | 4.58 | 24.1 | 1 |
| Khaleel Ahmed | 11 | 15 | 31 | 5.81 | 32 | – |
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