Arsdeep Singh (BCCI/IPL Photo)
Dharamsala: Arsdeep Singh He didn’t look his usual self during practice here on Saturday afternoon. On the eve of an almost make-or-break match against table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he eschewed traditional clashes with teammates for a heated exchange with Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting. For a man who has built his reputation on lighting up the dressing room and a warrior-like demeanor on the field in the toughest of conditions, India’s premier left-arm seamer has been distinctly subdued in the IPL. Arsdeep hit the heights of success with back-to-back winning campaigns in the World Cup in the first week of March. In two months’ time, he finds himself under a rock at the foothills of the terrifying Dholadhar range here. Arsdeep’s unusually short season is a major reason why Punjab Kings inexplicably jumped from the peak reached halfway through the tournament. Be it controversies over his social media presence or bowling on flat pitches, one wonders what must be ailing Arshad. Well, the management of Punjab Kings also understandably went in search of answers. And it emerged that he was not at his best physically during the tournament. “We’ve been working a little bit together and looking at his body to see if there’s any restriction in his body that could be causing some ups and downs in his performances. We think we’ve hit a little bit of a winner there. He’s been feeling a lot better physically in the last couple of weeks,” replied Andrew Lapps, head of sports science at Punjab Kings here. Leaps’s responses kind of reveal as Arsdeep’s delivery seems to lack zip. He has struggled to nail yorkers or bouncers in crunch situations like he used to in the last couple of years. Even as he quietly dealt with his physical issues, off-field controversies seemed to weigh him down. Lipps did not deny the buzz going around but also insisted that Arshad is keeping himself in the dressing room. “I know there’s been a bit of chatter behind the scenes about different things – blogging and whatnot. Arsh is pretty flat-lined in terms of his attitude and behavior. He is not up or down. He gives his best there. He is a very loud person in the dressing room. It hasn’t changed. He’s very calm,” Lipps claimed. He added, “One of the best things the ICC has ever done was to take away the phone. When you’re in that team environment, it’s not an issue. When it becomes an issue, it’s out of the question. I’ve heard rumours. I think it’s probably something that needs to be addressed.” If all the suggestions of an exit from the field are correct, Arsdeep need look no further than the opposition dugout to find himself removed on Sunday afternoon. I am two 37 years old. Virat Kohli And Bhuvneshwar Kumar, with so many honors to his name during a career that has gone into its second decade, is still reinventing his game and evolving with the fast pace of contemporary cricket. Lipps asserted that captains Shreyas Iyer and Arsdeep have shown exemplary composure as leaders of this unit during this difficult phase. It’s up to them to turn it around on the field on Sunday.
