Back in Kent, Arsdheep Singh keen to find red-ball rhythm ahead of England Tests

Arshdeep Singh expressed his happiness after returning to Kent, where he played county cricket two years ago, as he strives to rediscover his red-ball rhythm ahead of the five-Test series against England, starting June 20.

India are set to play a four-day warm-up game at the Kent County Cricket Ground at Beckenham from June 13. This will serve as the final preparation for the Shubman Gill-led side ahead of the highly-anticipated series against England.

Arshdeep said that the players are looking to get into the red-ball mode after many of them featured in the exhilarating 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. He asserted that once the bowlers get reaccustomed to playing with the red ball, they will give the England batters a run for their money.

"As for today's training session, my only motivation was to get a feel for the rhythm -- how the body feels, how the red ball is coming out of the hand -- because all the players have been playing with the white ball for quite a while. So, I really enjoyed it. Going forward, as we keep progressing step by step, the intensity will keep increasing, and we'll keep making it more and more difficult for the batters to face the ball," Arshdeep told BCCI TV.

The left-arm seamer said that while the focus was on finding the optimal rhythm as a bolwer as the batters were in a competitive mode, and they had to make solid plans to get them out. Arshdeep mentioned that Shubman and Sai Sudharsan, who received a maiden Test call-up, looked in fine form.

"It was fun bowling to the batters. They looked quite compact, and there was a competitive spirit—even though we were just working on rhythm, they were fully competing. So, that made it even more fun. We had to grind properly and try to get them out with a solid plan. Sai [Sudharsan] has joined the team for the first time, and he looked very compact too. The skipper [Shubman Gill] looked in good touch. I'll try my best to keep improving and get them out more often going ahead," Arshdeep said.

Focus is on how we can improve each other's game: Arshdeep

The Punjab pacer spoke about his self-belief and also acknowledged senior pro Jasprit Bumrah's greatness. Arshdeep explained how they constantly try to hone their skills and help the team achieve desired results.

"Whenever I hold the ball, I always feel that I am the best. But everyone knows—when you're in an attack that includes a player named Jasprit Bumrah, then the word 'comparison' doesn't even exist. So, the focus is on how we can improve each other's game, each other's skill sets—and how we can help the team. That's where my focus lies." Arshdeep stated.

The 26-year-old speedster, who played a key role in helping Punjab Kings reach the IPL 2025 final after 11 years, also shared his experience of representing Kent and how he used to unwind in the picturesque county.

"It feels really good to be here. At first, you get that ‘homely' feeling, that yes, I've spent two months here before, so it feels great. I'm really looking forward to creating many more memories here. It's a small place, very peaceful. Not many people around. If you need peace of mind, this is the best place—because there's always a cool breeze blowing, a soft warmth from the sun, and when you sip hot chocolate in that setting, it's pure bliss. And if you have a sweet tooth, make sure to have some churros with it," said Arshdeep.