India left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is delighted to be back in Kent the place he had earlier performed county cricket as he appears to be like to rediscover his red-ball rhythm ahead of the five-match Test series towards England starting June 20.
The 26-year-old is eyeing his maiden Test look after being named in the Indian squad. The crew is enjoying a four-day tour match towards India A on the Kent County Cricket Ground at Beckenham from June 13.
Primarily recognized for his white-ball exploits, Arshdeep, who represented Kent in the County Championship two years in the past, had a notable season in the IPL 2025 with Punjab Kings, who completed runners-up.
“As for today’s training session, my only motivation was to get a feel for the rhythm— how the body feels, how the red ball is coming out of the hand— because all the players have been playing with the white ball for quite a while. So I really enjoyed it,” he stated.
“Going forward, as we keep progressing step by step, the intensity will keep increasing, and we’ll keep making it more and more difficult for the batters to face the ball.” India, with out the providers of retired Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, will probably be led by new skipper Shubman Gill. The crew features a crop of younger batters equivalent to Sai Sudharsan and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Arshdeep stated he’s having fun with bowling to his team-mates as he sharpens his red-ball expertise.
“It was fun bowling to the batters. They looked quite compact, and there was a competitive spirit—even though we were just working on rhythm, they were fully competing. So that made it even more fun,” he stated.
“We had to grind properly and try to get them out with a solid plan. Sai has joined the team for the first time, and he looked very compact too. The skipper looked in good touch. I’ll try my best to keep improving and get them out more often going ahead.”
“When your attack includes Bumrah, comparison doesn’t exist”
Arshdeep stated he’s targeted on enhancing his expertise whereas coaching alongside tempo spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
“Whenever I hold the ball, I always feel that I am the best. But everyone knows—when you’re in an attack that includes a player named Jasprit Bumrah, then the word ‘comparison’ doesn’t even exist,” he stated.
“So, the focus is on how we can improve each other’s game, each other’s skill sets—and how we can help the team. That’s where my focus lies.” Reflecting on his earlier stint in Kent, Arshdeep stated: “It feels really good to be here. At first, you get that ‘homely’ feeling, that yes, I’ve spent two months here before, so it feels great. I’m really looking forward to creating many more memories here.
“It’s a small place, very peaceable. Not many individuals round. If you want peace of thoughts, that is one of the best place—as a result of there’s all the time a cool breeze blowing, a smooth heat from the solar, and while you sip sizzling chocolate in that setting, it’s pure bliss.
“And if you have a sweet tooth, make sure to have some churros with it,” stated Arshdeep.
The opening Test begins in Leeds on June 20.
Published – June 10, 2025 11:58 am IST
