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Team India bowling coach Morne Morkel opened up about the selection conundrum regarding Arshdeep Singh, given that he has struggled to make it to the T20I playing XI in recent times despite his stellar record. The left-arm pacer made a huge statement on his return to the side, bagging the player of the match award in the third T20I against Australia in Hobart recently. Arshdeep Singh has often had to settle for a place on the bench as India have prioritised batting depth and three spinners in the playing XI. He played only on a sporadic basis during the 2025 Asia Cup, with Hardik Pandya featuring as the second pacer in the side due to the subcontinent conditions.The leading wicket-taker for India in T20Is showed his ability in the crucial third T20I after coming in for Harshit Rana in the playing XI. He dismissed Travis Head, Marcus Stoinis, and Josh Inglis, to finish with figures of 3-35. Morne Morkel assured that the team knows what Arshdeep Singh brings to the table, and he is being kept in the loop regarding where he stands in the scheme of things amid their pursuit of finding the right combination. "There will always be disappointment in terms of players with selection but that is something at times, as a player is uncontrollable. From our side, we just keep on asking them to work hard and train hard, and be ready for when they do get the opportunity. There are limited games leading into the T20 World Cup. It is important for us to see how guys react in certain situations under pressure," Morne Morkel said during the pre-match press conference in Gold Coast (via RevSportz). "I think Arshdeep is experienced. He understands that, you know, that there is also a bigger picture where we are trying different combinations. He knows he is a world class bowler, he has taken the most wickets for us in the powerplay. We know how valuable he is to the team," Morkel added. Arshdeep Singh has featured in only six out of the 15 T20Is that India have played in 2025 so far. The pacer has picked up a wicket in each of his appearances this year, resulting in a tally of nine wickets at an average of 23.33 and an economy of 8.87. "We will find out now after assessment" - Morne Morkel on Nitish Kumar Reddy's availability for AUS vs IND 2025 4th T20I All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was drafted into the white-ball squads for the Australia tour after Hardik Pandya's injury during the 2025 Asia Cup, also faced a setback midway through the ODI series. The youngster sustained an injury to his left quadriceps, which ruled him out of the final ODI in Sydney, and the majority of the five-match T20I series. The BCCI medical team had ruled the player out for the first three T20Is. Now that the tour is heading into its business end, the all-rounder could well come back into contention. "He did all his work that was needed or expected of him in fielding, batting, and bowling. He ticked all of that, so we will find out now after assessment where he is at," Morkel said. The bowling coach also spoke about the challenges of balancing the priority for results and experimentation to find the right combination for the 2026 T20 World Cup. "Getting the combination right before the World Cup is far more important (than the series win), 100 per cent. You need to have options available. With a World Cup around the corner, you don't want to leave any stones unturned. You don't want to sit two years down the line and say if only we had tried that or given a combination a bit more time. I think it is about playing it smartly," Morkel concluded. Team India will face Australia in the fourth T20I at the Carrara Oval in Gold Coast on Thursday, November 6. The series is currently level at 1-1 after the Men in Blue levelled things up with a sublime run chase in Hobart.
