KL Rahul’s statement: To be the number one death bowler in a team; Rabada

‘To be the number one death bowler in a team with Rabada…’: KL Rahul’s massive statement on Arshdeep Singh following the first T20I

KL Rahul praised young left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh after the 23-year-old produced an outstanding performance against South Africa in the first T20I.

Team India defeated South Africa by an 8-wicket margin in Thiruvananthapuram’s first T20I of the three-match series.

India bowled brilliantly, limiting the Proteas to 106/8 in 20 overs before chasing down the target in the 17th over of the game. While KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav scored unbeaten half-centuries, Arshdeep Singh and Deepak Chahar caused havoc with the ball.

Arshdeep finished with 3/32 in four overs. While Chahar gave up 24 runs for two wickets as the duo reduced South Africa to 9/5 at one point. Rahul, the vice-captain, was all praise for Arshdeep after the game.

“He’s (Arshdeep) improving with each game and each outing.

He has a big heart, and I’ve seen him in close quarters while playing in the IPL,” Rahul said.

KL Rahul captained Arshdeep during the former’s stint with Punjab Kings in the IPL; the left-arm pacer is still with the franchise and has put in consistent performances, earning him his first India call-up in June.

“What he did for his franchise this season was phenomenal, and to be the number one death bowler in a team with Rabada speaks highly of him. We always need a left-arm seamer, and having someone like Arshdeep is fantastic,” Rahul added.

Arshdeep was rested for the previous T20I series against Australia as part of the bowler rotation process; Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who had played against Australia, was replaced by the left-arm pacer in the ongoing South Africa T20Is. Arshdeep, 23, is also a member of India’s 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup, which begins on October 22 in Australia.