Arshdeep Singh with more variations likely to start ahead of Harshit in the Champions Trophy 2025

Arshdeep Singh (Pic: File Pic)

Harshit Rana has emerged as one of the good pace bowlers for Team India from the current lot. But one of the Gautam Gambhir's finds is unlikely to feature in the national side's Champions Trophy 2025.

Arshdeep Singh is considered way more better than Rana in terms of talent and quality.

Team India management gave Harshit Rana all three ODIs against England and the pacer has not looked out of place.

Arshdeep Singh has an economy rate of 5.17 than that of Rana's 6.95 per over. Arshdeep has the ability to bring the ball back into the right-handers during the powerplay overs.

Singh's ability to bring the ball in will help him to turn the sheets in his favour ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025.

Having featured in nine ODIs, Arshdeep Singh will be one of the crucial players for India considering the conditions in Dubai.

"Harshit has improved by leaps and bounds in terms of reducing his weight and has become sharper in terms of speed. But if I had to choose one among the two as Mohammed Shami's partner, it has to be Arshdeep as he can swing the ball both ways and is a left-armer.

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"I would be a trifle surprised if Harshit starts ahead of Arshdeep," former national selector Devang Gandhi, who has also seen Rana from close quarters as Delhi Ranji coach, told PTI.

The "Men in Blue" will kickstart their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a match against Bangladesh on February 20.

It is understood that Harshit Rana was given on a go for all three ODIs against England considering that he has been called up as Jasprit Bumrah's replacement. Additionally, this was the only series in which Mohammed Shami's fitness was been able to test.

Hence, Arshdeep Singh was rested in the first two games and only got a chance when the think-tank decided to rest Shami, who had played back-to-back ODIs.

Former India opener WV Raman, one of the most respected coaches in the country, feels the experience will be a key factor which should go in favour of the Punjab pacer.

"Arshdeep, due to his relative experience and the left arm being a different dimension, has an advantage. The Dubai track will be decent for the pacers," Raman observed.

He also raised a key point about playing multi-nation events compared to bilateral series.

"A bit more experience always helps in ICC events, which is a different ball game from bilaterals. In ICC event, you will play different opposition every day and accordingly an experienced bowler changes his plans," said Raman, who has also been India U-19 batting coach and head coach of the national women's team.

Gandhi, on his part, also pointed out the options Arshdeep brings to the table in various phases of the match.

"Harshit hits deck and gets it to move a bit both ways after pitching along with those effective occasional heavy balls in the range of mid 140s. But when you have Arshdeep, he can swing the new ball and also use angles of the crease effectively when he comes round the wicket during death overs," he explained.

An NCA Level 2 coach, who had watched the India U-19 team play in Dubai during the Asia Cup, had observed that there is at least five to six inches more bounce on offer at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

"If you have that shade extra bounce for a swing bowler then playing Arshdeep is a no-brainer. Harshit is a good talent but if Shami is fit, then Arshdeep, for variation, experience and game awareness partners him," the former NCA coach said.

(With PTI Inputs)