'Welcome to the club': Arshdeep on what he told Bumrah

NEW DELHI: Arshdeep Singh opened up about his mindset and approach with the new ball during India’s win over South Africa in the first T20I at the Barabati Stadium, explaining that his focus was on hitting the seam and trying to "get as much purchase off the wicket.

"Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!After being asked to bat first, India put up 175/6, led by Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten 59, before the bowlers took control. Arshdeep delivered early breakthroughs in the powerplay, removing Quinton de Kock for a duck in the opening over and dismissing Tristan Stubbs in the third.

The left-arm pacer struck once in each of the two overs he bowled, ending with figures of 2-14. Speaking about his thought process while defending the total, Arshdeep said, “The thought process is simple: just go there and try to use as much help as there is in the wicket and try to get the team early wickets.

I feel like if you were hitting the seam hard, there was something in the wicket, either it was bouncing more or seaming in or out."The idea was to just hit the seam as hard as possible and get as much purchase off the wicket. I bowled full, got a wicket. Then bowled full, went for a four. Then I knew I had to bowl short, got a wicket on that. Again bowled full, went for a four. So yeah, I was getting quick reminders there.”During the match,

Jasprit Bumrah

dismissed Dewald Brevis to complete 100 T20I wickets, becoming only the second Indian bowler after Arshdeep to reach the milestone.

Asked what he told the Mumbai Indians pacer upon the achievement, the 26-year-old said, “Yeah, I just told him ‘Welcome.’ Congratulated him and told him, ‘Welcome to the club.’”Arshdeep also spoke about how economical spells from the bowlers help ease the captain’s decision-making. “It makes life very easy for the captain as well. They can play around with the bowling combinations, whenever he wants Jassi (Bumrah) bhai to bowl three in the powerplay or me to bowl three in the powerplay. We just try to give him as much flexibility as possible and we’re enjoying each other’s company. I mean, I’m just trying to enjoy the present and just have fun.

It’s very rare you get to play on these kinds of wickets where there’s seam and swing on offer. So I just try to stay patient, not get too excited seeing help in the wicket, stay disciplined and enjoy whatever is there.”