Indian left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh left cricket legends Dale Steyn and Robin Uthappa stunned during a post-match interaction when he casually revealed that the boredom of being benched throughout the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy inspired him to launch his YouTube channel. The candid confession came after India crushed South Africa by 101 runs in the first T20I at Barabati Stadium on Tuesday night.
Despite travelling with the 15-member squad to the UAE for the February–March tournament, Arshdeep was one of only three players who did not feature in a single match, with the team management preferring rookie Harshit Rana as the third seamer behind Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Speaking on the JioHotstar broadcast, Arshdeep said, “When I got to know I wouldn’t be playing the first game of the Champions Trophy, I was very bored in my room—and that’s when I started my YouTube channel. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise.”
The light-hearted admission drew instant laughter from Steyn and Uthappa, with the South African great visibly shaking his head in disbelief at the 26-year-old’s laid-back attitude. Arshdeep, now India’s leading wicket-taker in T20I history, then cheekily urged viewers to subscribe to @ArshdeepSinghOfficialYoutube, which has already crossed 310,000 subscribers. His most recent upload—a fun chat with Virat Kohli after the third ODI—has racked up 1.3 million views.
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On the field, Arshdeep wasted no time reminding selectors of his worth, striking twice in his first two overs to dismiss Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs as India took a 1–0 lead in the five-match series. “I always try to find something positive,” he added. “Sometimes you just have to be grateful you’re playing at this level, wait for your chance, and grab it when it comes.” The second T20I will be played in Chandigarh on Thursday.
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