"Baffled": Shubman Gill Questioned Over Arshdeep Singh's Bowling Role in 1st ODI Against Australia

Perth: India’s first ODI under new captain Shubman Gill was a baptism of fire as the team struggled to contain Australia in a rain-affected match, ultimately losing by seven wickets under the DLS method. One major talking point that emerged from the game was the sparing use of left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, which left cricket experts and fans baffled. Despite breaking through early and taking a wicket in just his second delivery, Arshdeep bowled only two of the first 16 overs, sparking widespread questions about the captain’s bowling management.

Aakash Chopra Questions Gill’s Strategy

Renowned former India opener and commentator Aakash Chopra was particularly vocal about the underutilization of Arshdeep. On his YouTube channel, Chopra expressed disbelief saying, "I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that Arshdeep Singh bowled only two of the first 16 overs. He claimed a wicket in one of them. I could not understand the thinking. The total wasn’t big enough to hold him back."

Chopra argued that given Arshdeep’s impressive early spell which yielded the wicket of Australia’s explosive opener Travis Head, the pacer deserved a more extended run, potentially six overs out of the total 26. Instead, Arshdeep was sidelined, with other pacers like Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, and Nitish Kumar Reddy failing to make breakthroughs as the Australian batsmen capitalized on their opportunities.

Gill’s Bowling Rotation Under Spotlight

Arshdeep Singh’s early removal after just two overs puzzled fans and critics alike. He was brought back into the attack only in the 17th over, by which time India’s chances of defending their total had diminished significantly. The decision to limit the spearhead’s bowling arguably tilted the match in Australia’s favor.

Gill’s bowling management has come under scrutiny as India’s bowlers struggled to maintain pressure in the middle overs on a challenging pitch with uneven bounce and rain interruptions.

Arshdeep’s Impact and Captain’s Trust

Though under-bowled, Arshdeep Singh kept his composure and praised Captain Gill for trusting the bowlers. In a post-match press conference, the left-arm pacer called Gill “a proper bowler’s captain” who allows bowlers the freedom to execute their plans. Arshdeep backed veteran batsman Virat Kohli to find form, emphasizing that “form is just a word for him.”

“I can't distinguish much between the styles of Rohit Sharma or Shubman Gill as captains yet, but I do know both give bowlers significant freedom,” Arshdeep said.

Match Summary and Context

India was put into bat by Australia’s Mitchell Marsh, who captained in the absence of Pat Cummins. India’s top order faltered with Rohit Sharma (8), Shubman Gill (10), Virat Kohli (0), and Shreyas Iyer (11) not finding their rhythm against the new-ball attack led by Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.

Rain delays pushed the match down to 26 overs per innings. India managed 136 for 9, buoyed by a 39-run partnership between KL Rahul and Axar Patel, but it wasn’t enough. Mitchell Marsh’s unbeaten 48 led Australia to a comfortable victory with 29 balls to spare.

What's Next?

The scintillating debate on bowling tactics will continue as India prepare for the remaining two ODIs in Adelaide and Sydney. The question remains whether Gill and the team management will alter their bowling strategy to better harness Arshdeep Singh’s wicket-taking ability, especially in crucial early overs.

India will be keen to adjust quickly to avoid falling 0-2 in the series and to build confidence for the red-ball challenges ahead.