India may have won the toss in Vadodara, but the real storm broke at the team announcement. Arshdeep Singh’s exclusion from the first ODI against New Zealand ignited a wave of fan fury, turning the spotlight firmly on India’s puzzling pace-bowling choices.
Social media was flooded with criticism highlighting how Prasidh Krishna, often labelled by fans as inconsistent in ODIs, keeps finding his way into the XI despite conceding at over seven runs per over in recent series. Many questioned how a bowler still searching for control in the format is being preferred over Arshdeep, who has built his reputation on accuracy and discipline.
The frustration is compounded by the rotational nature of Arshdeep’s exclusion. At times, Harshit Rana is drafted in ahead of him, at others Prasidh takes that spot, leaving Arshdeep as the common omission.
Fans argue this revolving-door selection sends a damaging message -- that performances and form matter less than perceived potential or backing from the team management.
For many supporters, this inconsistency in selection logic has become the real issue. With Arshdeep seemingly the first name dropped regardless of conditions or recent results, the backlash has grown louder, feeding accusations of favouritism and selective patience.
As the noise around Gautam Gambhir’s selection calls grows, Arshdeep’s repeated sidelining -- whether for Rana or Prasidh -- has become the flashpoint in a debate that refuses to die down.
© 2026