Indian fast bowler Arshdeep Singh recalled a strict warning from his Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain, Shreyas Iyer, after he was caught distracting himself during an ⁠IPL match. Arshdeep shared this story to explain why his captain was unhappy with him at one point during the season. During a PBKS interview with Indian Women's team player, Harleen Deol, Singh opened up on skipper Shreyas Iyer's advice on staying focused during the match. Arshdeep Singh is a specialist in powerplay (the start of the game) and death overs (the final few overs of the game). He normally bowls the 1st, 2nd, 17th, and 20th overs. Since the game was only in the middle overs, he thought he was safe to relax.

He moved to the boundary line and began talking to and entertaining the roaring stadium crowd. While Arshdeep was busy with the fans, a partnership was building. Shreyas Iyer needed a wicket and decided to throw a curveball by changing the team's entire bowling plan. Iyer suddenly called Arshdeep to bowl the 11th over. Singh did not hear his name being called at first because he was too distracted by the fans. Iyer looked out at the boundary, saw his star bowler disconnected from the game, and yelled across the field: "Arsh, what are you doing there?” Arshdeep had to quickly snap out of his relaxed mood, grab the cricket ball, and run straight to the bowling crease without proper mental preparation. After the over finished, Iyer did not let the moment slide. He took Arshdeep aside for a serious chat about the realities of playing under the intense spotlight of the IPL.Iyer explained that this warning was meant to protect Arshdeep from heavy criticism. "He told me to stay focused on what was happening in the game. If the over goes well, it's fine. But if it doesn't, everyone starts saying, 'Your focus wasn't there'.”

Arshdeep Singh opens up on interacting with fans during matches

In his candid interview with cricketer Harleen Deol on the Kandid with Kings series, Arshdeep Singh opened up about exactly why he loves interacting with the stadium crowd and how he manages it during high-pressure matches. During the chat, Arshdeep explained his mindset when fielding near the boundary lines and how the crowd keeps him going. While some captains, like ⁠Shreyas Iyer, worry about distractions, Arshdeep told Harleen that talking to fans actually helps his game. Arshdeep explained that standing on the boundary during the middle overs can get quiet and lonely. Talking to the fans keeps his energy high and keeps him active.

“I know people watch and enjoy it too. Some people buy tickets with their hard earned money, some get free passes too. But they come to the stadium we should make sure they enjoy themselves, regardless of whether we are winning or loosing”.

He mentioned that the crowd gives him a massive boost. He enjoys waving, smiling, and acknowledging their chants because it makes the intense pressure of the game feel lighter. He also mentioned that they should be able to make the people enjoy themselves, and have a fun time regardless of what the result they get that night. However, Arshdeep did admit to Harleen that it is a very fine line to walk. While he loves the fun side of it, he has to train himself to instantly "switch off" the fan interaction the second the bowler starts running in. He confessed that if a player loses focus for even one second, a professional match can slip away instantly.