New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes left-arm fast-bowler Arshdeep Singh should be included in India’s playing eleven for their upcoming Test series against England, starting on June 20 in Leeds.

Arshdeep has been a mainstay in India’s T20I team with 99 wickets in just 63 games. In first-class matches, Arshdeep has picked 66 wickets in 21 games. Ponting has also had a chance to have a close look at Arshdeep (18 scalps) by being his head coach at Punjab Kings, who are now in the playoffs of IPL 2025, and will face off against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur on Thursday.

“I’ve had a good chance to get to know him really well. He’s a great character to have around the team. He’s a fun-loving guy. He’s very laid-back around the group, which is great. Which is what we all like,” said Ponting on The ICC Review show.

“As soon as the squad was announced the other day, the Test squad, the first thing I did in our team meeting was to make sure that I acknowledged that Arshdeep had been picked in front of everybody and just congratulated him in front of everybody.”

“I think it’s well deserved. I think he’ll bowl well in England as well. I would actually have him in their Test team at the start. He’s very skillful. I think the Duke’s ball will help him in the UK as well. And I just think to have that point of difference, having a left-armer in your team, I think will be something that, if India don’t do it, then it’ll be a bit of a surprise to me,” added the former Australia captain.

Arshdeep also had a stint in the County Championship with Kent in 2023, picking 13 wickets in five matches, with his best bowling figures being 3-58. “He’s played county cricket and he knows the conditions there as well.”

“Arshdeep is close to six-foot-four, so he’s going to get decent bounce…as we know in England, the ball still swings when it is 30, 40 or 50 overs old. To have someone that’s got that swing bowling ability and a left-armer, I think is something that the Indian team should definitely look out for on that tour.”

Quizzed on his process behind taking PBKS to the playoffs for the first time since 2014, in what is also Ponting’s first season as their coach, the legendary Australian batter elaborated on the three principles he brought to the franchise. “The three keywords that I brought this year were being different, being daring, and being dynamic.”

“That’s not just the playing group, that’s through the whole organisation. The inclusion thing for me is always a big one. We’ve got not just about 25 players here. We’ve got over 100 people who are hopefully all on the same journey together. We’re heading in the same direction, and me making them feel a part of the journey is a bit of the reason why we’re all here.”

“It’s just the end of the qualifying rounds and the big stuff is yet to come, but so far cricket’s been very, very good. It’s been a fun time to be around the team. And I’m looking forward to what the next few weeks bring,” he concluded.

–IANS

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