Arshdeep Singh reflected on the encouragement he got from Mohammed Siraj during a challenging phase in England. Siraj featured in five matches, but Arshdeep was not given an opportunity in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
His situation became more difficult after a left-thumb injury sidelined him from the fourth Test. Having completed the tour without playing a single game, Arshdeep has now resumed competitive cricket in the Duleep Trophy. He is currently playing for North Zone in their ongoing clash with East Zone in Bengaluru, after which he will head to the UAE to take part in the Asia Cup 2025
“Over the past two months, I’ve learnt how to enjoy the boring time. In Test cricket, there are boring moments like a post-lunch session when nothing happens with the ball. The challenge is to find a way to enjoy those situations,” Arshdeep said during the Duleep Trophy.
“I had a chat with Siraj, and he said that in red-ball cricket, your success depends on how you handle the phases when nothing seems to be happening. He gave me this small tip and I really liked it.”
In the Duleep Trophy, North Zone tightened their grip on the contest by establishing a huge lead of 563 runs, while still having eight wickets in hand during their second innings. Earlier in the match, their bowlers triggered a sudden collapse, skittling East Zone for 230 after snatching six wickets for only 30 runs.
“It was the same situation here. East Zone had only lost four wickets and the ball wasn’t offering much. Our focus then was on enjoying each other’s company, and that approach eventually brought the results,” he added.
The Asia Cup is scheduled to begin on 9 September, with India opening their campaign against the UAE the following day.