‘I Want To Play All Three Formats’: Star India Pacer Eyes Test Breakthrough As He Looks Beyond White-Ball Cricket

Arshdeep Singh has made no secret of his desire to add Test cricket to his growing white-ball credentials, with the left-arm pacer saying his ultimate goal is to represent India across all three formats. The 27-year-old, a regular in India’s limited-overs setup, recently got a rare opportunity to play red-ball cricket for North Zone and used it to remind selectors of his ability with the red ball.

Having already earned a maiden Test call-up for the England tour last year before injury denied him a potential debut, Arshdeep remains firmly focused on breaking into India’s Test side.

Arshdeep's red-ball appearance for North Zone came after a long gap, making the opportunity particularly significant for a bowler whose international career has largely been built in white-ball cricket. The Punjab pacer had continued working with the red ball during the off-season and showed encouraging rhythm during the Duleep Trophy, even on a surface that offered greater assistance to the spinners.

“The goal is always to represent India, be it any format. I'm no exception; I want to play all three formats, and I rarely get a chance to play red-ball cricket. This was a chance, and I just wanted to showcase my skill set and see how many overs I can bowl. It is nice to get the win,” said the left-arm pacer as quoted by the TOI.

The message from the Indian team management, he said, has been clear: “Perform wherever you get a chance and just keep delivering. When the time is right, you will get your chance.”

What Are Arshdeep Singh's Chances of a Maiden Test Debut?

The road to a Test debut remains competitive, but Arshdeep's prospects cannot be ruled out. India's current pace resources include Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar, while Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the Sri Lanka Test series because of a knee injury and was replaced in the squad by Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi.

The competition becomes even more interesting when India's wider fast-bowling pool is considered. Akash Deep remains another established option in the Test setup, while Harshit Rana, who has been dealing with fitness issues, is another fast bowler in the selectors' plans. Arshdeep's left-arm angle, therefore, gives him a point of difference from several of the other seamers competing for places.

For now, Siraj remains one of India's key pace options, while Prasidh has been given opportunities in the Test side and Bumrah's eventual return, once fully fit, would further intensify the competition. Gurnoor and Auqib, meanwhile, represent the newer generation of fast bowlers pushing for a breakthrough.

Arshdeep has been close before. He received his first Test call-up for the England tour last year, but a hand injury before the fourth Test ended his hopes of making his debut. That experience, coupled with his continued red-ball work, means the left-armer is unlikely to give up on the longest format anytime soon.