After leaking 37 runs in his first three wayward overs on a languid Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch, Arshdeep Singh’s night was seemingly doomed. (Scorecard | As It Happened | Cricket News)
But then the left-arm pacer found a chance to redeem himself in the dying moments of the fifth T20I against Australia to seal a 4-1 series win.
Arshdeep grabbed it with both hands, defending 10 runs in the final over to give India a six-run win, nailing a bouncer and yorkers that he looked so incapable of bowling during that horror start.
So, what was going through his mind when captain Suryakumar Yadav tossed the ball to him ahead of the 20th over.
“I did not feel that it was bowling-friendly conditions as I bowled a lot of loose deliveries,” Arshdeep began his post-match press meet, even allowing himself the luxury of a relieved chuckle.
The 24-year-old had in front of him an in-touch Matthew Wade and Arshdeep surprised him with a bouncer outside the off-stump and to be fair to the Aussies captain that ball ought to have been called a wide for the height.
The second ball was an inch-perfect yorker on the off-stump as Wade could only squirt it back to the bowler.
Arshdeep missed a yorker again off the third delivery, but the low full-toss was enough for him to get the wicket of Wade through a catch in the deep by Shreyas Iyer.
Arshdeep thought the match turned in India’s favour at that moment.
“I was just thinking that I have nothing to lose as I have already given away a lot of runs. Surya bhai was also saying the same thing that ‘let’s see how it goes.’
“My gut feeling was to bowl a bouncer off the first ball to put some doubt in Wade’s mind and once I got his wicket the belief came (in me) that we can win this match,” said Arshdeep.
The pacer was effusive in his praise for the way Suryakumar led the side during this series.
“Surya bhai gives a lot of freedom. We had played in a few batting-friendly pitches earlier in the series but he said wherever there are challenges opportunities too will be there.
“He was telling us not to worry about the results but to focus on the process and force the batsmen to score runs off good deliveries. He never put us under pressure,” he said.
Arshdeep emphasised his point while giving context to it with the example of the last over here.
“He told me to bowl whatever you want to in the death overs and his full support will be there. Sometimes, he gives a bit of input, you know, this kind of ball will be good at this stage,” he added.
Arshdeep was not yet ready to think deeper into India’s tour to South Africa, beginning in a week’s time.
“Right now, we are focusing on this series. We are not looking too far ahead (in terms of South Africa tour) and once we go there and see the conditions, will take a call accordingly,” he said.
