Dubai, Feb 18 (IANS): India’s preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy have been rocked by the loss of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah to a back injury, but former Australian captain and ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting has thrown his weight behind Arshdeep Singh as the ideal replacement.

Speaking on The ICC Review, Ponting expressed confidence in Arshdeep’s ability to fill the void left by Bumrah, citing the young pacer’s skills with both the new ball and at the death as crucial assets.

“I would go with the left-armer and I'd go with Arshdeep (to replace Bumrah),” Ponting stated. “We know how good he's been in T20 cricket, and if you think about the skill set, he probably provides a similar skill set to what Bumrah does with the new ball and death overs. That’s what India will miss.”

Ponting acknowledged Harshit Rana’s impressive performances in India’s recent ODI series win against England but emphasized that Arshdeep’s left-arm variation and ability to move the ball make him a better fit for the role.

“That’s taking nothing away from Harshit Rana because I think he has got a lot of talent and we know what he can do with the new ball,” Ponting explained. “But I don't think his death skills are as good as Arshdeep Singh’s are. And just that left-arm variation, someone that can bowl left-arm with a new ball and move the new ball, is crucial in big tournaments when you've got a lot of right-handers at the top.”

India still have multiple options within their squad, with Mohammed Shami available and all-rounder Hardik Pandya expected to contribute with the ball to lessen the impact of Bumrah’s absence. Ponting also highlighted the potential impact of mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy.

“I think Chakravarthy can have a huge impact on the tournament as well for India,” he said. “He’s probably been pigeonholed as a T20 bowler, but with his variations and skill, he can be a game-changer in the Champions Trophy.”

Despite Bumrah’s injury, Ponting remains optimistic about India’s title chances. He pointed to the team’s recent 4-1 series victory over England as a sign that they are in strong form heading into the tournament.

“Winning’s a habit, and to have that behind you, you can take some positives out of that,” he said. “More importantly for India, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were back scoring runs, and that’s what they need going into big tournaments. Your experienced players need to stand up in the big moments.”

India will play their opening match against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.