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Former India player Varun Aaron has opined that Arshdeep Singh should be a part of the Men in Blue's playing XI for the fifth T20I against Australia. He pointed out that the left-arm seamer has picked up more T20I wickets than Jasprit Bumrah, despite playing fewer games than the unconventional pacer.The final T20I of the five-match series between India and Australia will be played in Brisbane on Saturday, November 8. The visitors lead the series 2-1, with their wins coming in the last two games, where Arshdeep was part of the playing XI.During a discussion on the Star Sports show 'Game Plan,' Aaron was asked about Arshdeep's importance for India, considering his presence allows Bumrah to bowl only two overs in the powerplay. "Arshdeep Singh, obviously, is brilliant. He swings the ball upfront, bowls great yorkers at the death, and gives the captain so many options. Today (in the fourth T20I), he picked up a wicket in the middle overs," the former India pacer responded."So he just gives you so much. As a left-arm seamer, gives you a different option as well. He has got so many wickets for India, more wickets than Bumrah, with fewer matches than Bumrah. You have to play Arshdeep Singh and he is going to get wickets at the Gabba," Aaron added.Arshdeep Singh has picked up 105 wickets at an economy rate of 8.36 in 67 T20I innings. Jasprit Bumrah has accounted for 99 dismissals while conceding an average of 6.36 runs per over in 77 T20I innings."It's great workload build-up towards the Test series" - Varun Aaron on whether Jasprit Bumrah should play AUS vs IND 2025 5th T20IJasprit Bumrah has played each of the first four T20Is against Australia. [P/C: Getty]In the same discussion, Varun Aaron was asked whether he sees Jasprit Bumrah playing alongside Arshdeep Singh in the final T20I against Australia, considering the Test series against South Africa is around the corner."I think it's great workload build-up towards the Test series, when he can play a game back-to-back, just with a one-day break. So I think Bumrah and Arshdeep will feature in the last game because India would want to win this series, and you have got the best chance of winning a series when you have Jasprit Bumrah playing," he replied.The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Australia were forced to overattack Shivam Dube in the fourth T20I because Bumrah's two overs were held back due to Arshdeep's presence."Today (the fourth T20I) was a great example of what can happen if you bowl Bumrah just two overs in the powerplay and have two at the back, because then the batting team is always keeping that at the back of their head when they are going about their plans. They tried to overattack Dube. So there are so many different spanners you can throw into the works with Bumrah bowling just two in the powerplay," Aaron observed.Shivam Dube registered figures of 2/20 in two overs in the fourth T20I against Australia, picking up the crucial wickets of Mitchell Marsh and Tim David in the middle overs. Jasprit Bumrah finished with figures of 1/27 in four overs, castling Ben Dwarshuis with his final delivery of the game.
