Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has said that Arshdeep Singh has soon become the Indian team’s most successful T20I bowler as well. He added the his success to his ability to swing the ball both ways. However, Arshdeep registered figures of 2/17 in four overs in India’s seven-wicket win in the first T20I against England in Kolkata on Wednesday, January 22 as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “Arshdeep Singh has reached 97. He is very close to 100 wickets. However, what makes Arshdeep Singh special? That is a big, big, big question because he has progressed very fast. If you see the list of India’s top wicket-takers, he is the most expensive guy. He leaks a few runs but he takes wickets and does that by swinging the ball.”

What he did in the first match, I felt it was excellent, because he set a trap that he would move the ball in, and then moved the ball away repeatedly, and trapped the batter (Phil Salt). Then he bowled absolutely full to Ben Duckett. You don’t dare to bowl full if you don’t have swing, but he has the swing. He has the ability to swing the ball both ways. The ball can come in or go away from the right-handers. Then he also gets bounce as he is tall and has a high-arm action,” he observed.

In the same video, Aakash Chopra added that Arshdeep Singh uses his variations quite well.

“He has the variations. You cannot line him up. He also sets the field like that. He keeps the third man in to show that he will bowl an inswinger but bowls an outswinger. He is using the bouncer well, which very few people are doing. He might not have that much pace but uses the bouncer well. Then the slower bouncer and the slower one. I think Arshdeep is looking like a full package. Jasprit Bumrah is different. Let’s keep him away. I was thinking about left-arm fast bowlers. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mitchell Starc are there, but Arshdeep Singh in T20 cricket, he might actually be the best right now,” Aakash Chopra concluded.