Ricky Ponting selected Arshdeep Singh in his playing XI, not Harshit Rana

Agency:News18Hindi

Last updated:February 18, 2025, 22:57 IST

The ICC Champions Trophy starts on February 19. India’s first match will be from Bangladesh on 20 February. There is a tremendous debate on who will have two pacers in India’s playing XI.

India’s first match in the Champions Trophy will be from Bangladesh on 20 February.

Dubai. Not only Indians, the veterans of the world are also expressing their guess about the playing XI of India. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is also among these veterans. Ricky Ponting said that he would like to keep Arshdeep Singh in India’s playing XI instead of Harshit Rana in the match against Bangladesh in the Champions Trophy.

The ICC Champions Trophy starts on February 19. India’s first match will be from Bangladesh on 20 February. India is descending without Jaspreet Bumrah in this tournament. Harshit Rana has been selected in the team in his place, who recently performed well in the series against England. There is a tremendous debate on who will have two pacers in India’s playing XI.

Ricky Ponting, who won the World Cup as captain in 2003 and 2007, said in the ICC review, ‘I will choose a left -handed fast bowler. I (instead of Bumrah) would like to keep Arshdeep in the team. He said, ‘We all know how well he is in T20 cricket. If you talk about skills, then perhaps he has the same quality as Bumrah. He has the best ability to bowl in new ball and death overs. India will miss it.

It is believed that in India’s playing XI, Mohammed Shami is fixed as the first pace. There is a competition between Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana for the second pace. Ricky Ponting said, ‘This does not mean that something is being taken away from Harshit Rana. I think they are quite talented. We all know what they can do with the new ball but I do not think they are skilled like Arshdeep Singh in the death overs. The former Australian captain said that it is very important to have a left -handed fast bowler in the playing XI.

Ponting said, ‘Being a left -handed fast bowler gives diversity to the attack. A left -handed fast bowler who can handle a new ball and move it. We all know how important such a bowler is, especially when the right-handed batsmen are more in the top-order in a big tournament. If I had selected the Indian team, I would have moved forward with this thinking. (input language)