‘Arshdeep Singh’s wicket-taking prowess even better than Jasprit Bumrah’ | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Arshdeep Singh was the most expensive Pacer sold at the two-day show Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction in Jeddah last week as Punjab kings has spent a whopping Rs 18 crore on the left arm.
Despite not being acquired by the franchise before the auction, Punjab went big for Arshdeep and nabbed the 25-year-old from Sunrisers Hyderabad on their RTM card.
And former India opener Aakash Chopra described Punjab's Arshdeep play as great as his wicket-taking skills have surpassed even those of the Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the shortest format.
The left-arm pacer has emerged as a lethal weapon for India in recent years and recently Arshdeep also surpassed Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to become the country's second-highest wicket-taker in T20Is.
Chopra admitted that Arshdeep is still expensive in the shortest format but it is his ability to take wickets that sets him apart from the rest.
“They initially said they wanted Arshdeep for Rs 18 crore. They would only have spent that much if they had kept him. He is a Punjabi and will stay with the Punjabis and he is very good,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“New ball, old ball, Indian fast bowler. If anyone is capable of doing that consistently after Bumrah, it is Arshdeep. In fact, he has even overtaken Bumrah in terms of wicket-taking ability (in T20Is). He remains a “It's a bit expensive but has overtaken him because he is a wicket-taker,” Chopra added.

Chopra also praised Punjab's acquisition of star leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who was bought for Rs 18 crore, equaling Arshdeep's record as the most expensive Indian bowler in history IPL Auction.
Chahal is the leading wicket-taker in the IPL and for India in T20Is and Chopra described the 34-year-old spinner as India's best leg-spinner at the moment.
“Yuzi Chahal – Rs 18 Crore. He went very far and we were amazed at how far Yuzi would go. Spinners don't get that much money. They get it sometimes, Rashid Khan was kept for so much, but.” Rashid is just one. He became very rich – 18 million rupees. We are very happy because he is India’s best leg-spinner,” Chopra said.
Although Punjab spent heavily on Arshdeep and Chahal, Shreyas Iyer was Punjab's biggest purchase at the auction for which they spent Rs 26.75 crore. With this, Shreyas also became the second-largest acquisition of all time in the IPL after Rishabh Pant, who was bought by Lucknow Super Giants for a record price of Rs 27 crore.