Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has voiced strong support for Arshdeep Singh, questioning the impact of inconsistent selection on a bowler’s confidence after the left-arm pacer was left out of the first two ODIs and only included for the third.

Speaking from a “cricketer’s perspective,” Ashwin emphasized that Arshdeep’s consistent performances merit security in the playing eleven. “He has performed every time you have given him the ball. Give him the place he deserves. Allow him to walk into the eleven with his head held high,” he said, highlighting how uncertainty can undermine a bowler’s rhythm and mental edge.

Ashwin criticized the timing of Arshdeep’s inclusion, pointing out the psychological toll of sidelining a bowler for two matches before offering a one-off opportunity. “Now what is the use of him playing the third ODI? Why did he not play the first two ODIs? What will that do to his confidence?” he asked, stressing that bowlers rely heavily on continuity to maintain form.

Drawing from personal experience, Ashwin noted that selection uncertainty affects bowlers far more than batters. “Cricket is a game of confidence. The next time he plays, he will be rusty… it never happens with batsmen,” he said, urging selectors to view decisions through the player’s perspective rather than past coaching regimes or rotation policies.

For Ashwin, the central issue is fairness. A bowler who has “done so much” should not have to “fight for his place” after consistently delivering. “I have been in this situation myself, and so I know it is quite unfair. That is why I always fight for Arshdeep,” he said, reinforcing a broader conversation about trust, rotation, and workload management in limited-overs cricket.