‘When you don’t do well..’- Arshdeep Singh on criticism after Asia Cup ‘drop catch’

In a short period of time in Team India, young pace bowler Arshdeep Singh has seen a lot. His stint in the national team began on a high when he bowed some juicy swing bowling and was lauded by all cricket fans.

Soon however he got to see the ugly side of cricket fandom as the left-arm pacer was trolled for dropping an easy catch against Pakistan in the Aisa Cup 2022. From being bullied on social media to being labelled as a ‘khalistani’, Arshdeep Singh has seen the highs and lows of Indian cricket.

On the back of his bowling performance, however, Singh was selected for the 20-20 World Cup and showcased some great bowling in Australia. Just 23, Ashdeep seems to have matured quite rapidly given the experiences that he had to face. In a presser in New Zealand, the fast bowler said that the fans reserve all the right to criticise a cricketer for their mistakes.

“If you do well, you get love and praise and when you don’t, the fans have the right to criticise us. They also love the game and the team. You will get love and brickbats both along the way but the key is to accept both with equal humility,” Arshdeep said.

Singh also talked of his fans at the 20-20 World Cup. “It feels great to see (people wearing T-shirts with his photo) and pen lyrics dedicated to him but the focus is always on the game, good or bad, one needs to conduct one’s self well,” he said.

Staying in the present helps the player- Arshdeep Singh

“When you play the game, you want to enjoy rather than think that you want to be the main bowler of the side. You want to stay in the moment rather than think about where you will be one year down the line. If you stay in present, it helps you as a player,” said Arshdeep, who has 33 wickets in 21 T20Is.

Singh is currently with the India team playing a three-match ODI series against the Kiwis in New Zealand. The second match of the series starts at 7 AM on November 30th 2022.