Arshdeep Singh impresses coaching staff, headlines India’s first net session ahead of South Africa series

The Indian selectors have rested Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa. After impressing in the IPL, young blokes Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh, and Umran Malik have been included in the squad. While Malik has made head turns with his rapid pace, Arshdeep Singh, with his immaculate yorkers and terrific accuracy, has been a consistent performer for Punjab Kings over the last few years.

As per reports, the left-arm seamer is in line for a debut and if the practice session of the Indian team is anything to go by, he has left bowling coach Paras Mhambrey extremely impressed with his skills. Arshdeep Singh had a short spell in the nets under Mhambrey and it was a simulated session where the bowling coach kept a baseball mitt (gloves) on the front crease, exactly on middle stump and an energy drink bottle around the tramline for the wide yorker.

WATCH:

As far as the batters were concerned, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant looked the most impressive. While Rahul spent a long time taking on the spinners – Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, Pant took the attack to the pacers – Umran Malik and Avesh Khan.

Dinesh Karthik, who is making a comeback into the Indian side, was meticulous in the way he went about his training. He asked the throwdown specialists – Nuwan, Daya and Raghu, to provide him with deliveries that allowed him to shuffle around the crease and play the reverse lap scoop and lap scoop over short fine and short third man fielder. It will be interesting to see the role and position Karthik gets in the Indian team since Rishabh Pant, who is the designated vice-captain of the side, is sure to take the gloves and walk out to bat in the middle overs.