Arshdeep Singh Recalled: India Names Pacer to Asia Cup Squad for Oman Clash

The Indian cricket team finally decided to hand a game to fast bowler Arshdeep Singh. The left-arm fast bowler, who last played for India in the months of January-February, was finally brought into the playing XI in India's final group-stage match in the Asia Cup 2025.

Arshdeep, who is India's highest wicket-taker, has been carried in India's squad since the conclusion of the Indian Premier League 2025 in June but is still yet to play a single match. The fast bowler replaced Jasprit Bumrah in the playing XI on Friday, September 19.

The Suryakumar Yadav side made a second change in the line-up, bringing in Harshit Rana in place of Varun Chakravarthy. This is Rana's debut in the Asia Cup as well.

Stay updated on Asia Cup 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest Asia Cup points table.

India Playing XI vs Oman

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson (w), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav hilariously forgot Arshdeep's name in the team list. Despite trying multiple times after mentioning the name of Harshit Rana, he could not remember who the second change in the teamsheet was. As the toss presentation dragged on, Suryakumar let go and jokingly said that he had caught the Rohit Sharma virus of forgetting things at the toss.

"We want to continue the good habits we are doing in the first two games and want to continue to do that. It is looking nice and our openers will assess it further. We have two changes - Harshit comes in, one more guy comes in, I have become like Rohit (laughs)," Suryakumar Yadav joked at the toss.

India vs Oman, Asia Cup 2025: Updates

Earlier, Arshdeep Singh's exclusion from the first two games of the Asia Cup had infuriated fans and experts alike. Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was left fuming after India's opener vs UAE after the team did not hand the fast bowler a direct entry into the line-up.

Ashwin had made a sharp quip on his YouTube channel that Arshdeep's exclusion from the side should infuriate the bowling community.