India national cricket team’s 24-year-old left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh was at his best in the first ODI of the three-match series against the Aiden-led South Africa national cricket team Markram. Arshdeep Singh produced a Man of the Match performance and helped his team win the series opener in Johannesburg.
The left-hander’s stock has been declining over the last 12 months in international cricket. He has not looked threatening like he used to when he debuted for the first time in T20I cricket against the England national cricket team in Southampton on July 7, 2022.
Despite not being at his best, Arshdeep Singh somehow managed to keep him in the scheme of T20I cricket, but the selection committee was not interested in having him in 50-over cricket. That changed when he was included in the squad for the away ODI series in South Africa and repaid the faith with a stellar performance from him.
Arshdeep Singh made his ODI debut for the Indian national cricket team on 25 November 2022, against the New Zealand national cricket team in Auckland, but he had to wait for 4 matches and more than a year to finally pick a wicket. in the 50 years. international format. He failed to pick any wickets in the 3 matches against the Black Caps, but delivered instantly against the Proteas.
Arshdeep Singh picked up the huge wickets of Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Tony de Zorzi, Heinrich Klaasen and Andile Phehlukwayo to take a 5-wicket haul. He gave away just 37 runs in his 10-over spell and his economy rate was 3.70.
I would thank KL Rahul bhai because he said you have to come back and get that fiftieth – Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh, left seamer of the Indian National Cricket Team, spoke to the host after winning the Man of the Match award in the first ODI against South Africa and thanked God and the team management for their support. He said:
“I feel a little pain. Loving this moment. Thank God and the team management. “It’s a little bit different than the normal grounds because I was getting out of breath.”
He further credited stand-in captain KL Rahul for his success, saying that the star wicketkeeper-batsman asked him to win a fife against South Africa.
“Personally I feel good, I am enjoying my role. I would thank KL Rahul bhai because he said you have to come back and get that fiftieth. I guess it’s about enjoying this moment. (On upcoming games) When we go there, focus on what will work there.”
Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh became the first Indian pacer to take a 5-wicket haul against South Africa in ODIs. Overall, he was the fourth Indian bowler to achieve the feat after Sunil Joshi, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja.
Indian bowlers with 5 fers against South Africa in ODIs:
6/5 – Sunil Joshi, Nairobi, 1999
05/22 – Y Chahal, Centurion, 2018
5/33 – Ravindra Jadeja, Kolkata, 2023
05/37 – Arshdeep Singh, Jo’burg, today*
Also, this was the first time since 2012 that an Indian left-arm fast took a 5-wicket haul in 50-over cricket. The last Indian left-arm pacer to take a 5-wicket haul in ODIs before Arshdeep Singh was Irfan Pathan.
Talking about the match, India beat South Africa for just 116 and then chased down the target with 200 balls remaining to take an 8-wicket win. The score of 116 was the lowest for South Africa in the home ODIs.
