Kris Srikkanth discusses Arshdeep Singh’s exclusion from the Indian T20I lineup and compares him to Shubman Gill

Originally posted on Crictoday | By V.M.Suriya Narayanan | Last updated Oct 30, 2025 11:07 AM ET

Kris Srikkanth has expressed his views on Arshdeep Singh’s absence from the Indian lineup after he was overlooked for the first T20I against Australia. The former captain believes that while Arshdeep has been effective in T20Is, he’s yet to establish himself at the level of Shubman Gill to be an automatic pick.

Gill has been a regular in India’s setup, leading the side in Tests and ODIs while serving as vice-captain in T20Is. Despite a few inconsistent phases, the management’s faith was rewarded during the Test series in England, where the young batter struck four centuries and piled up 754 runs at an average exceeding 75.

During a discussion on his YouTube channel, Kris Srikkanth expressed his thoughts on Arshdeep Singh’s continued exclusion from India’s T20I side after the opening clash with Australia.

“Sadly for Arshdeep Singh, he hasn’t attained Shubman Gill’s level yet in the team setup. That’s where Gill stands out. Even though Gill was once dropped during the Test series in Australia, he was later handed the captaincy and went on to perform exceptionally well in England.”

“Even in T20Is, he went through a rough patch, but look at how well he played. Shubman Gill has been backed, and he eventually emerged as a strong leader and match-winner.”

Despite holding the record as India’s leading wicket-taker in T20Is, Arshdeep Singh found a place in the XI only twice during the 2025 Asia Cup. He has 101 wickets in 65 matches, averaging less than 19 per dismissal.

This article first appeared on Crictoday and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: