The India National Cricket Team is gearing up to face Afghanistan in a three-match T20I series, with the first game set for September. Ahead of the series, India pacer Arshdeep Singh has opened up about his Test cricket ambitions and explained why making an immediate transition to the longest format remains challenging.

Arshdeep has firmly established himself as one of India's leading T20I wicket-takers. The left-arm pacer has claimed 135 wickets in 91 matches for the Men in Blue in the shortest format. However, his recent performances have been less consistent, including during the IPL, despite continuing to take wickets.

In an exclusive interaction with PTI, Arshdeep Singh discussed his chances of receiving a Test call-up and insisted that he is doing everything possible to remain prepared whenever an opportunity arrives.

"I do everything that is within my control to be ready for the (Test) call-up," Arshdeep said after joining his Sher-e-Punjab side, Ludhiana Lions, following the Duleep Trophy. Arshdeep also made it clear that representing India in Test cricket remains a major ambition. He believes he has the ability to contribute whenever that opportunity eventually comes his way. For a fast bowler, managing the physical demands of First-Class cricket is especially important. Arshdeep believes learning how to handle that workload will be crucial if he eventually makes the transition to Test cricket.

"As a fast bowler, it is usually tough on the body to play first-class games that can sometimes be very demanding. But as a fast bowler, I also take immense pride in managing this workload and bringing out my best each time I run in to bowl," he said. He also highlighted recovery and understanding his physical limits as key aspects of preparation. "The main learning has been to understand the mechanics of my own body and, most importantly, to listen to it when it comes to managing the limits of my own physicality. Recovery is extremely crucial," Arshdeep added.

Arshdeep also reflected on his experience bowling during the Duleep Trophy on spin-friendly pitches. Rather than seeing the conditions as a disadvantage for a fast bowler, he saw them as an opportunity to improve his adaptability.

"I saw the challenge of bowling on spin-friendly tracks as a chance to hone my own skills to bowl in any track conditions," he said. According to Arshdeep, the ability to quickly understand a pitch and adjust accordingly can make a significant difference to a bowler's effectiveness. "The faster you learn how to read each track and adjust your skill to get the best out of the track, the more crucial a bowler will be for his team every single time," he reasoned.

With the Afghanistan T20Is beginning on September 13, Arshdeep will now look to regain his best rhythm in India colours while continuing to build towards his long-term Test ambitions.