Arshdeep Singh's place in the fifth and deciding T20I between India and West Indies on October 17 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru is in doubt after he retired hurt during the fourth match in Hyderabad on October 14.
Arshdeep was hit on his left shoulder and upper arm by a short-pitched delivery from West Indies pacer Shamar Joseph in the 20th over of India's chase. He had scored 5 runs off 4 deliveries before walking off the field. India's innings ended shortly after, with West Indies winning by 24 runs to level the five-match series at 2-2.
No official medical update or fitness clearance had been issued as of October 15, leaving Arshdeep's participation in the winner-takes-all contest at Bengaluru uncertain pending a full assessment by the team's medical staff.
What did Sanju Samson say about Arshdeep Singh's condition?
Indian opener Sanju Samson spoke about the injury at the post-match press conference following the fourth T20I. He confirmed that Arshdeep had received immediate treatment on the field but did not offer any assessment of the severity of the blow or a recovery timeline.
"Arshdeep is putting ice on his shoulders. Hopefully he gets well soon. He got struck by a high-speed ball. Hope he recovers soon," Samson said as quoted by Outlook.
Who could replace Arshdeep Singh if he misses the decider?
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has emerged as the name most closely linked with a potential cover role. The experienced right-arm pacer is currently stationed at the Centre of Excellence and was recently brought back into India's plans for an upcoming T20I assignment after a gap of roughly four years from international cricket. No official squad change has been announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and the selectors have not confirmed whether Bhuvneshwar would be drafted in specifically for the West Indies decider.
Any decision on a replacement is expected to follow Arshdeep's medical assessment in the days leading up to October 17. The series is evenly poised at 2-2, and India's pace bowling has come under scrutiny across the four matches, though a specific runs-conceded figure The team management is likely to wait for clarity on Arshdeep's fitness before making any formal announcement.
