'Arshdeep Singh's wicket-taking prowess even better than Jasprit Bumrah'

At the recent IPL mega auction in Jeddah, Arshdeep Singh emerged as the most expensive pace bowler, with Punjab Kings securing him for a massive ₹18 crore using the RTM (Right to Match) card, snatching him away from Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra praised Punjab Kings’ decision to buy Arshdeep, describing it as a brilliant move. According to Chopra, Arshdeep’s wicket-taking ability in the T20 format has even surpassed that of Jasprit Bumrah.

The left-arm pacer has become a lethal weapon for his team over the past few years, troubling opposition batters consistently. Recently, Arshdeep surpassed Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to become the second-highest wicket-taker for India in T20 internationals.

Aakash Chopra, on his YouTube channel, spoke highly of Arshdeep’s growth, saying, "Arshdeep is a Punjabi, and he will stay with the Punjab team. It's great for him. After Bumrah, if anyone has been able to perform consistently well in T20s, it’s Arshdeep. In fact, in terms of wicket-taking ability, he has outperformed Bumrah in T20s."

Chopra also praised Punjab for acquiring India’s star leg-spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal. He called Chahal the best leg-spinner in India currently, especially in the IPL and T20 format. Chahal, who is 34 years old, was bought by Punjab for ₹18 crore, a significant amount for a spinner, as they are usually not priced as highly as fast bowlers.

Chopra shared his thoughts on Chahal's purchase, saying, "Chahal’s value is ₹18 crore. Normally, spinners don’t fetch such a high price. We are very happy because he is India's best leg-spinner."

Despite spending heavily on Arshdeep and Chahal, Punjab Kings’ most significant acquisition at the auction was Shreyas Iyer. The franchise splurged a whopping ₹26.75 crore to secure the talented batter, making him their most expensive player of the season.

Punjab Kings are undoubtedly looking to build a strong squad with these impressive signings and will hope that Arshdeep, Chahal, and Iyer can lead them to success in the upcoming IPL season.