By Renin Wilben Albert

Copyright sportskeeda

Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan wants Team India to retain Arshdeep Singh in the playing XI for the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan. According to Pathan, the Men in Blue must be prepared for a situation wherein they need two bowlers who can send down yorkers from either end in the death overs.India beat Sri Lanka in the Super Over in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 match in Dubai on Friday, September 26. Batting first, India scored 202-5, while Sri Lanka responded with the same score. While Arshdeep was expensive in his four overs, he bowled an exceptional Super Over, getting his yorkers right and conceding only two runs. His brilliance ensured an easy win for India in the Super Over.The left-arm pacer, however, only got a game since a couple of players from the preferred playing XI were rested. With India having already qualified for the Asia Cup 2025 final, India gave a break to Jasprit Bumrah and Shivam Dube for the game against Sri Lanka, bringing in Arshdeep and Harshit Rana.While Arshdeep has played only two matches in Asia Cup 2025, Irfan vehemently backed his inclusion in the playing XI for the final against Pakistan on Sunday, September 28. During a discussion on Sony Sports Network, the former all-rounder opined that India might need the 26-year-old pacer’s services in the summit clash in Dubai. Irfan stated:”First things first, he’s like an ice. When the pressure is on, he asks for the ball and bowls. In the end overs, he is ready to bowl his yorkers. He bowls yorkers in tandem with Jasprit Bumrah [when both play together]. He is a bowler of that quality. For me, it’s nothing new. I have been saying from the first day that he should be in the playing XI.”There are situations when you need yorkers from both ends. Today, the match went on till the very end. But, the Indian team’s thinking is that we need a long batting line-up. So, Shivam Dube is playing as an all-rounder. Since he is playing, Arshdeep is not finding a place. He will always be there in my playing XI,” the former India all-rounder elaborated.In the Super Over against Sri Lanka, Arshdeep dismissed Kusal Perera with the first ball, having him caught at deep point. On the penultimate ball of the over, Dasun Shanaka miscued a full and wide delivery to deep backward point.Arshdeep Singh is the only Indian bowler with 100-plus scalps in T20IsThe irony of Arshdeep not featuring in India’s first-choice playing XI is that the Punjab bowler is the team’s leading wicket-taker in the format. In 65 games, the left-arm seamer has claimed 101 wickets at an average of 18.76 and an economy rate of 8.37. He has two four-fers to his credit.Hardik Pandya (98) is second on the list of India’s leading T20I wicket-takers. The all-rounder is followed by Yuzvendra Chahal (96), Bumrah (94), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (90) and Kuldeep Yadav (82).