Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh returns to nets in Mohali
Deepankar Sharda
Chandigarh, July 12
After playing an important role in the Indian team’s T20 World Cup title win, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is back to the practice field to prepare for the next assignment of the BCCI.
After returning to the city earlier this week, Arshdeep stayed out of action and spent time with his family before joining a training session at Om Sai Cricket Academy recently.
The ace pacer got the “guard of honour” from the trainees of the academy.
Having achieved the feat of winning the Asian Games gold and T20 World Cup, Arshdeep is now eyeing his debut in the Test cricket. “With God’s grace, he played well for the country. It’s his biggest achievement. But now, he really wants to play Test matches for the country,” said Darshan Singh, Arshdeep’s father. While talking about his mood post T20 World Cup win, Darshan said Arshdeep was very keen to return to the sport and had started practising.
“He has been very calm throughout the tournament. He is a very positive person, and despite facing hardships, he doesn’t step back from taking the responsibility. His approach is well appreciated by top cricketers. After that dropped catch (in Asia Cup), we thought he would take some time to have a positive mindset. However, look at his comeback. He excelled in IPL and excellently performed for Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and other important tournaments. He surely is capable of excelling under pressure,” added Darshan.
“Even during the World Cup, he was very consistent and got support from his seniors. We just kept praying from the stands, but we were amazed to see his performance. I had never thought of witnessing such a crowd welcoming him in India… It was an emotional moment to live for the rest of our life,” he added.
An open secret
A wall shelf at Arshdeep Singh’s house — showcasing medals, mementos and all memorable prizes – depicts the struggle behind his achievements. However, the T20 World Cup winning gold medal may miss the wall, as the family don’t wish to let the medal go out of their sight. When asked about the plans of keeping the gold medal, Darshan said, “It’s a secret.” The reply was the same, when asked how Arshdeep is planning to spend the winning amount from the BCCI. Meanwhile, as per the policy of the Punjab Government, the cricketer will be rewarded with Rs 50 lakh. However, the youngster deserves more considering his achievement in the cricketing world. “I don’t want to comment, but it’s all in the hands of the Almighty,” said Darshan.
