As India gears up for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, legendary Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting has voiced his support for Arshdeep Singh to take the field ahead of Harshit Rana. With the absence of star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, Ponting believes Arshdeep is the ideal choice to lead India’s pace attack when they begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 at the Dubai International Stadium. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash will also take place at the same venue on February 23.
Bumrah’s withdrawal from the tournament, confirmed on February 11, comes as a setback for India, as he sustained a lower back injury during the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Sydney. With his absence, the debate over his replacement has gained momentum, and Ponting, now an expert commentator, has weighed in on the matter.
Ponting acknowledges that Harshit Rana has shown promise in recent outings but firmly believes that Arshdeep is better equipped to handle all phases of the 50-over game. Speaking on The ICC Review, he expressed confidence in Arshdeep’s ability to perform under pressure.
“I would go with the left-armer, and I’d go with Arshdeep to replace Bumrah,” Ponting stated. “We know how good he’s been in T20 cricket, and in terms of skill set, he provides a similar role to what Bumrah does with the new ball and in the death overs. That’s exactly what India will miss.”
Ponting also highlighted that while Rana is talented and has impressed with the new ball, his death-over skills are not as refined as Arshdeep’s. According to him, having a left-arm fast bowler in the playing eleven is always a crucial factor, adding a different dimension to the attack.
With Ponting’s endorsement, the selection debate intensifies as India prepares for their first game in the tournament. Whether Arshdeep gets the nod remains to be seen, but his inclusion could provide the much-needed balance in Bumrah’s absence.
