Arshdeep’s ‘Udaan’ gets its redemption arc
Only 25, he has been challenged extensively. Barbados was as much his moment of triumph and resurgence.
“Jo lehron se aage nazar dekh pati,
toh tum jaan lete main kya sochta hoon
Woh awaaz tum ko bhi jo bhed jaati,
toh tum jaan lete main kya sochta hoon
Zid ka tumhare jo parda sarakta,
khidkiyon se aage bhi tum dekh pate
Ankhon se aadaton ki jo palke hatate,
toh tum jaan lete main kya sochta hoon
Meri tarah hota agar khud par zara bharosa
Toh kuch door tum bhi saath saath ate
Rang meri aankhon ka bantte zaraa saa
Toh kuch door tum bhi saath saath ate
Nashaa asmaan ka jo chumta tumhe
hasraatein tumhari naya janm pati
khud doosre janm main meri ‘Udaan’ chhune
kuch door tum bhi saath saath aate”
Vikramaditya Motwane’s ‘Udaan’ is too vast a piece of cinematic excellence to be caged into an ambitious son’s coming of age story. It’s grown bigger than a regular middle-class tale of a son wanting to pursue his dreams against the wish of a controlling father. Writing it, Motwani and Anurag Kashyap wanted to live through the protagonist and the story’s interior messaging to overcome its exterior. What came out is not just another piece of art offering you insight into the complex father-son relationship. The film portrays the struggle of an artist and his freewill in a dictatorship, embodied in their purest form by Rohan and Bhairav Singh.
When explored, there are layers that leave an everlasting impact. Udaan is a revolt of art and an independent voice against a regime trying to suppress it, expressed through Amitabh Bhattacharya’s profound lyrics, accentuated to immortality by Amit Trivedi’s music. The songs don’t ease you to a teenager’s tryst with adolescence; they speak of the gravity of an artists’ struggle for survival, freethinking, his battle against a domineering and oppressive power. Of revolution, courage, bravery and pursuit of freedom.
“Subah ki kirnon ko rokein
Woh salaakhein hain kahaan
Jo khayalon pe pehre daalein
Woh aankhein hain kahaan
Parr khulne ki deri hai
Parinde uddke chumenge
Asmaan! Asmaan!! Asmaaaaannn!!!”
When a quiet, sensitive but gritty and mature Rohan returns home after being suspended over mischief from a boarding school, to which he had been sent at the age of just eight, his heavy bag rolls along the stairs to create an uncomforting, hard, grim sound. Home, what was supposed to be the safest, brightest place for his dreams to expand their wings has turned into a hell of complete darkness. It’s bereft of love, affection. It’s a boarding school outside a boarding school. It’s worse than a boarding school.
Rohan is told in no uncertain terms he dare even think of becoming a writer and will study Engineering. He is sent to a factory where he must work after college hours. Rohan lost his mother in his childhood, has only a supportive, caring but powerless ‘Chachu’ to confide in. Far away from friends, Rohan realises it’s a battleground where his art and zeal must defeat a fascist, authoritarian, bitterful man, who asks his son to call him “sir” and hates Rohan’s sense of independence, being a victim of such upbringing himself. The helplessness is palpable but the fight must go on.
Bhairav Singh vents out even against his other child, little Arjun, the step-brother Rohan is initially repulsive of. But Rohan is his mother’s child. He grows to care and empathise with the kid, he identifies with him and loves him, underlining it as the biggest point of difference to his father, who never understood love.
Rohan falls, gets frustrated, implodes even, but never gives in. He eventually breaks free, beating Bhairav Singh in a chase for independence, but comes back briefly to take Arjun with him, saving him from a boarding plan he couldn’t save himself from, while pledging to provide Arjun a future that he needs, signaling the victory of his resilience, art, and freedom against an oppressive, hateful man and his regime.
The sun has finally broken through, the darkness has relented, the world is healing; it’s all bright, free and liberated.
This is a moment of redemption; the great triumph of human spirit.
Rohan’s ‘Udaan’ has taken off.. It won’t be stopped. Won’t be caged.
In cricket, there maybe no authoritarian and suppressive will plaguing on his dreamy eyes. But Arshdeep Singh’s ‘Udaan’, his leap of faith, and its journey has presented just as fascinating and profound a viewing. There are no oppressive powers to tame his independence, but the scrutiny is humongous, which often suppresses the freethinking and will of young cricketers. Look past the glittery associated with an Indian player’s life and it’s a battle for survival here as well. Everyone wants you to do what they want you to do. There is not one Bhairav Singh; you’re Rohan against the world. The triumphant is glorified but the struggler shown no empathy. Failures are denigrated. The art must shine over darkness; talent must conquer obstacles beyond its age.
“Udd ja ban ke dhoop ka panchhi
Chudaake gaehri chhaonn andheri
Chadhti lehrein laang na paye
Kyun haanpti si naav hai teri
tinka tinka jod ke saanse
Kyun haanpti si naav hai teri
Ulti behti dhaar hai baeri
Ke ab kuch kar ja re, Panthi”
Arshdeep would be the first to tell you he is fortunate still that his biggest support are voices that matter. With a debut at the age of 22, it had been a leap of faith for not just him but also the selectors and the management, who would’ve recognised the flaws but also respected a talent too promising not to be treated differently. Arshdeep had three strong IPL seasons to back his case when he first donned the India jersey. Yet, to recall that as the fairytale beginning for a miracle-boy destined with tools to achieve greatness would be doing him injustice. Arshdeep’s has been a struggle for prominence, his talent is not in-born but acquired through remarkable hardwork, strong desire and temperament, perseverance.
During India’s 2018 U-19 World Cup victory celebrations, coach Rahul Dravid is standing inside the dressing room with the trophy, taking picture with a player social media struggles to identify. It’s been a tournament where Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw have been touted as the future flagbearers of Indian batting, one where Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi have been deemed the pearls of the new-age India with their pace and steam. Abhishek Sharma and Riyan Parag are prodigies who’ve missed out. Ishan Porel and Manjot Kalra are not of the same league but their earnest nature is captivating.
The young player Dravid is taking a picture with is none of them. He has neither had the game time to be noticed nor the performance to be hyped. There are no brackets, no tags, no fandom this player is accorded like his more fancied teammates.
This young player is Arshdeep Singh, aged 18, medium-pacer, who bowled in two games against PNG and Zimbabwe in the group stage and never played again.
As an India U-19 & ‘A’ coach, Dravid used to tell his players beforehand they won’t go back home without playing. The priority was to give a vast number of players the opportunities. The limitation of 15-member squads picked for ICC tournaments is such, however, it’s the bowlers who get rotated more often, for conditions, for oppositions and combinations. And still, the sheen of Nagarkoti and Mavi was so bright, their pace and hostility incredibly exciting, that you didn’t care whether this thin-wired left-arm seamer from Punjab had been warming the benches.
After grinding his backs off at the first-class level, Dravid made his Test debut at the age of 23. Who would’ve known better than him the U-19 World Cup is not the be-all and end-all. The greater achievement is to assimilate into the Ranji Trophy set-up, he would reiterate to his wards. Yet even Dravid wouldn’t be able to stop the narratives that get set about players. The only difference for Arshdeep was that masses didn’t know his name; so they didn’t care whether he might play for India or not. Indian fans had already identified Nagarkoti and Mavi as their next fast-bowling sensations.
Arshdeep? Who, Arshdeep? No, he can’t be as talented as those two. Even if he’s good, he’ll have to do really well to survive such competition. Nah, if he’s not good enough to make an U-19 side for a third outing, surely it’s beyond him. Or so they thought.
How wrong were they.
The IPL is where the talent meets the opportunity. It’s where they harness young cricketers, facilitate them and help them learn the tools of the trade. But the filter is immense. Despite the recent drop-off in quality, the IPL is hard to get in; harder to survive. If you’ve reached there as a young Indian cricketer you’ve proven a handful of people right but also plenty of them wrong. And it doesn’t stop there. Once picked, you have to justify the prize tag, perform, ignore distractions, deal with money, fame, scrutiny and tremendous pressure. The temperament is drilled and solidified early.
Life’s only tougher when you’re part of a losing team, prone to be reactive, making repeated changes in hope to get it right, and still stumbling upon defeat after defeat. In a losing team, the ‘other end’ is susceptible to leak runs, shatter the pressure and the chances you’ve built on. If you’re at the receiving end of this equation, teams either play you out or use the control gained by facing the expensive lot to target you, for you’re bowling the toughest overs. Be it the powerplay or the death.
Bumrah has been acing this role since MI’s downfall years. But the inimitable fast-bowler was already an all-format India veteran when MI lost its great footing.
Aged 19, Arshdeep had to start off his IPL career in attacks that no depth to speak of. He rose over blemishes to take new-ball breakthroughs and produce quality overs at the death.
From IPL 2020–2022, Punjab Kings lost 23 of their 42 games. Their ‘other end’ went at 8.19 an over. Among pacers, including Shami and Rabada, it was 8.71.
Arshdeep went for 8.13 with 37 wickets. His death-over economy rate over this three-year period was 8.70. Second only to Bumrah.
Under Dubai’s stale Arabian night sky, a cricket ball has just been miscued. A wristspinner has fetched the outer splice of a right-hander’s willow as he goes for a wild slog. The top-edge couldn’t have found the short-third better. It’s a catching opportunity so easy that a fielder would take it with his eyes closed. You’ve seen cricket for years. You know how this will end. You’ve had the phone in your hands all through, typing tweets per second to overcome your anxiety. You’ve begun a celebratory post over Asif Ali’s wicket with 31 needed off 16. One more wicket, and you just know Pakistan will do a Pakistan again. It’s that moment. Eventually the better side will win after this. Such catches aren’t dropped. No way, a fielder can drop this. Arshdeep drops it.
In a team led by Rohit and Dravid, you know you’ll be shielded. They won’t let the weight of the drop catch play on you. But the world is about to. It’s an emotionally charged fanbase that has had enough of India letting Pakistan off the hook. They’ve found their scapegoat even before the defeat. It ceases to matter you’ve been the best seamer of the night from either side. Arshdeep is about to realise the weight of that drop catch in the most cruel, vicious, inhumane way.
In a socio-political space dominated by a right-wing party, which has ruined the ethos of a country whose forefathers based its constitution on democracy, secularism and inclusivity, even the India shirt ceases to be the defining symbol of uniformity in diversity. Islamophobia is widespread. Mohammed Siraj is abused when he posts a simple tweet expressing gratitude to his god. Mohammad Shami gets crucified over religion for failing a cricket game against Pakistan, leading an Indian captain to openly express disgust and shock how can people operate at such “lowest level of human potential.” Back in the 90s, when the magnificent Mohammad Azharuddin played each innings versus the neighbours as if he has to prove his faith and loyalty, the hate and the vilification was evident on roads. Now this angry lynch-mob has shifted to social media.
For Arshdeep, the drop catch had him termed ‘Gaddar’, a traitor, who was bombarded with the most disgusting remarks, with the brainless, psychopathic right-wing scumbags calling the drop catch a sign of his allegiance with the anti-India, separatist movement in favour of a ‘Khaalistan’. That movement and the right-wing hatred towards a sustained farmers protest based in Punjab and Haryana against the tactless farm laws, had put even the warrior-breed, faithful Sikhs, who have a history of laying their lives on the battleground for this country, who have seen dreadful bloodshed in the past, and yet formed the most peaceful, giving and kind community, whose Gurdwaras you can walk in without anyone asking your creed, caste and colour, under serious risk amidst their own countrymen.
The India shirt is no longer the indispensable proof of faith and loyalty. The weight of the drop catch was heavier than Arshdeep would’ve known. His performances thereafter were about to define not just his skill but who he is.
The Sydney Cricket Ground is packed to its full capacity for a rare India-Netherlands T20 World Cup game. After India posted 179/3 on a dry surface, the spirited but inexperienced Dutch had been outperformed and reduced to 111/9 in 19.3. The victory had been sealed, formalities remained. Little did Arshdeep know the magnitude of the next three deliveries; they would go on to shape his career’s next phase.
Arshdeep missed his mark on three consecutive deliveries for three successive fours off Netherlands No.11 Paul Van Meekeren’s bat. It was shocking. This was effectively worse than top-order Hong Kong batters hitting him and Avesh Khan through the line. That was the moment it dawned upon you that this inexperienced young quick still has big ground to cover, a feeling that grew harder when he inspired no trust to bowl the third over in Adelaide where England sent India crashing. Arshdeep had his moments: it was him who gave India a kickstart against Pakistan at MCG, it was him who saved India from an embarrassing loss to a terrible Bangladesh team.
But even the sane voices, ones who believed in his talent and backed his ascent to prominence, were now wary of the lack of control and true consistency; they started doubting him.
The next two IPL seasons bolstered the narrative. Having to fight for survival and relevance in a tournament reduced to a glorified sixathon by ‘Impact Player’ rule, lengthy batting units and flat roads, Arshdeep was hammered at 9.16 an over with 117 fours and 37 sixes hit over 28 innings. His line and length control, once treated with lenience and sympathy, within the team and outside, were now put through the sharpest magnifying lens. His overconstruction had been fine, but loose balls would completely put paid to all the good work, damaging the over and the figures. His run-up wasn’t synced properly. He erred with the alignment of his non-bowling arm. The line and length numbers in T20Is since his debut reinforced the inconsistency.
Arshdeep bowled over 74% of his deliveries at the good-length and short_of_good-length region for excellent individual economy rates inside the powerplay but his overall 1–6 expense was still nearly 8 an over; not too bad, nothing special.
Even in the IPL, until then Arshdeep used to forego control for wicket-taking far too easily in the first six. He backed his trademark outswinger on the full-length balls to provide him breakthroughs, compromising the rate of scoring as a result. The pacer consistently produced the chances, he had an exceptional strike-rate and average. But the economy rates would often go for a toss.
Outside the powerplay, in T20Is, Arshdeep sent down almost 57 out of his 73 overs at the death; with an overall economy rate of 9.70, which jumped to 10 during the 16–20 phase. The short_of_good-length ball, the good-length ball and the yorker were Arshdeep’s strongest lengths at 8.68 an over but he delivered those only 38.50% of the times. The yorker is the best sign of Arshdeep’s form and planning: be it the IPL or T20Is, the better it is; the more number of times he entrusts and executes it. Outside this length, it’s futile to go fuller outside the powerplay in search of wickets; the ball won’t swing and you’d be easy fodder to rampaging bats. Arshdeep learnt it the hard way.
When Arshdeep had a horrible IPL 2024, going for 12.12 at the death, it was the first time you feared even the captain, the coach and selectors could be running out of patience with him. They would’ve been excused outside if they did. Fans had already picked T Natarajan, Sandeep Sharma, Yash Dayal and Harshit Rana in their best Indian XIs. Mohsin Khan had made a comeback.
Eulogies were being written of Arshdeep’s decline. It was all cluttered and gloomy outside; you wondered if it’s same inside. Even then.. even then Dravid, Ajit and Rohit didn’t give up on him. The talent was far too attractive and the investment too heavy to be easily given up on. That’s why you need good selectors, coaches and captains: to separate wheat from the chaff; to overcome the noise; to be there when a talent needs an arm around the shoulder; to recognise there were too many good balls for the end figures to dictate the next selection.
The iconic Kensington Oval at Barbados has witnessed an Indian comeback for the ages; the tri-colour’s flying high; the pressure and anxiety have paved way to tears of joy and relief; a nation has realised its long-awaited dream; celebrations galore; the wounds of Nov 19 have been forgotten momentarily; it’s a fitting farewell for two of India’s greatest players; a head coach, the master team-builder, finally has a silverware in hands to mark his legacy; an ace fast-bowler has pressed home his unmatched genius; an allrounder, who was subjected to racial abuse and doubted on form, fitness, commitment and range, has bowled India to victory in the final over.
An extraordinary T20I bat has set aside talks on his big-match prowess; a wicketkeeper-batter has overcome a life-threatening accident to produce blitz and great catches; a utility cricketer has prospered and raised his stocks through the roof; a wristspinner, who a couple of years ago seemed lost, has transformed and had a campaign to be proud of. A backup fast-bowler is overwhelmed, he is cutely stumbling upon words in a language he can’t speak, and still touching every corner of your heart. These are moments and memories for a lifetime.
Where is Arshdeep Singh?
Where was Arshdeep Singh?
It would sum up Arshdeep’s return to the T20 World Cup that he wouldn’t be at the center of attention even then. That he would be the side character, not the protagonist. That there would be no interview, no overglowing praise; and his ‘Bhangra’ with Kohli would outlive in memories what he brought to the field on the biggest day.
It was Arshdeep, who gave India a strong footing in the powerplay, his two tight overs went for just eight and included the wicket of the world-class Aiden Markram. It was Arshdeep who pulled India back with the old ball when Quinton de Kock threatened to run away. It was Arshdeep who bowled the 19th under the knowledge and pressure that Bumrah is done and wouldn’t be there to provide him cover. He kept Maharaj on strike, giving away just four to leave 16 to defend when Hardik would’ve realistically expected 10, at best 12, with Miller hitting into the wind. It was Arshdeep’s 19th following on Bumrah’s tremendous 18th that took the sting off Miller’s knock, keeping him away from the game, denting his timing just that bit and creating the desperation to play the big shot early in Hardik’s 20th. Nothing happens in isolation in our sport; Arshdeep played a role in SKY’s iconic catch also.
Where is Arshdeep Singh?
Where was Arshdeep Singh?
He was there.
You just didn’t see him.
I didn’t see him.
I remember tweeting out of nervousness that Rohit must give Hardik the 19th on a track that was ideal for his off-cutters, providing the inexperienced Arshdeep greater cushion. I was worried over his length control under pressure; with Miller in, you could almost imagine how it would end: with the left-hander hitting a defining six either this over or the next. That was the level of fear; when it’s been 10 years worth of pain, you don’t believe it would end from 30 off 30. Not even at 20 off 12. Arshdeep proved me wrong. I should’ve trusted him more and not fail to spot a true comeback that was playing out right in front of my eyes.
Arshdeep had worked tirelessly to straighten his run-up with bowling coach Paras Mhambrey. It cut down the no-balls and the free-hits. He displayed exemplary game awareness and pitch nous on tracks where you needed to bang the ball into the surface to extract movement, often up and down movement, and use the cutters. He reduced the percentage of full-length and short-pitched deliveries inside the powerplay; increased the good-length balls, prioritising control over expensive wicket-taking in a sign of maturity. The full-tosses nearly went extinct. The yorker wasn’t needed in the first six. The short-of-good-length ball is the only length type inside powerplay that Arshdeep had a worse World Cup to pre-World Cup record with.
An astounding number of Arshdeep’s balls inside the powerplay finished at the stumps or just outside the off-stump, offering batters no width to work with nearly 88% of the times.
Post powerplay, a phase where India bowled Arshdeep predominantly at the death, he did err at times with the fuller-ball and full-tosses but also raised and executed the good-length, the short-of-good-length deliveries and the Yorker. The latter three accounted for nearly 63% of his post-powerplay balls, the economy rates for which were fantastic.
The key once again was the line: over 81% of Arshdeep’s deliveries finished at the stumps or just outside the off-stump and went for economy rates less than 8.
Arshdeep started off slow in New York; he was the most expensive quick at the venue after games against Ireland and Pakistan. He had bowled too wide and too full on a pitch where that was the only delivery type batters could hit. But the game against USA proved to be the turning point. From that spell through to the final, Arshdeep bowled at 6.77 an over; 7.08 inside the powerplay, 4.50 during the middle phase and an astonishing 6.88 at the death over six games while taking 14 wickets.
It was Arshdeep who had an in-form David Warner out early in St Lucia and got rid of Tim David, Matthew Wade to stamp India’s authority in a high-scoring thriller after Bumrah and Kuldeep had bowled their match-winning spells. Arshdeep sent a tight first over in the England semifinal to force Buttler to attack earlier than he would’ve wanted, knowing how the pitch will play out. He took the brunt in his second over but Buttler couldn’t hold himself and still tried disrupting the spinner early with an attempted reserve-sweep off Axar to be out caught the next ball. With Buttler gone, Kuldeep could then ease into that England batting line-up like a knife through the butter.
Where is Arshdeep Singh?
Where was Arshdeep Singh?
He was there.
Impact over figures.
Value. Substance. Glory.
In times to come, the details might fade off from the memories; the figures would be spoken of. Arshdeep was the weaker link of this attack, whose left-arm angle pushed Siraj to the benches, they might even say. But in a cut-throat tournament, played in variety of conditions, on strips where the best lengths shifted game after game, isn’t it unwise to expect a 25-year-old left-arm quick to nail them each ball and produce figures that jump on your face?
Maybe it’s Bumrah’s fault. It is Bumrah’s fault. To create unattainable benchmarks with overwhelming figures for others to be judged on. I watched this T20I series against Zimbabwe annoyed with myself, wondering why am I expecting Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar and Tushar Deshpande to be better than they will ever be.
That’s Arshdeep’s next challenge. To leave no doubts. To bowl the perfect lengths, the lines and variations. To not just swing it away from the outside edge but bring it into the right-hander. To nail each yorker. To become the second best seamer in the world; not just the second best who can be picked. To be at the forefront of celebrations. To be the defining image. Not requiring a struggling writer to note down his value.
None of that belies this is his great moment of triumph still. Arshdeep Singh, 25, T20 World Cup winner. It’s a comeback stronger than all setbacks. The redemption arc is achieved. It can only spur him on to incredible highs. A place where his talent and perseverance belong.
Arshdeep’s ‘Udaan’ has taken off… it won’t be stopped. Won’t be caged.
