NEW DELHI: Bowlers are known to hunt in pairs. But now, not necessarily both bowlers need to be pacers or spinners.
Seamer Arshdeep Singh (2/17) and spinner Varun Chakravarthy (3/23) starred for India in their seven-wicket triumph against England in the first T20I at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday.
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Arshdeep overtook Yuzvendra Chahal (96) to become the highest wicket-taker for India in the shortest format, while Chakravarthy continued to impress since his return to T20Is by taking at least two wickets in seven of the last eight games.
The Indian cricket board (BCCI) on Thursday shared a link of a video where both Arshdeep and Chakravarthy are talking about each other’s performances.
The video starts with Arshdeep saying, “Today Varun took 3 wickets – Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jos Buttler, all good batsmen.”
Chakravarthy bowled Harry Brook with a googly and sent back Liam Livingstone for a duck as the ball darted into the stumps once again.
Jos Buttler reached his fifty in 34 balls but wickets kept tumbling and in an attempt to push the scoring the England captain finally fell to Chakravarthy the ball after hitting the bowler for six.
The video then cuts to Chakravarthy where he says that Arshdeep took 2 wickets – Phil Salt and Ben Duckett.”
Arshdeep removed both openers early. Phil Salt fell for a duck on the third ball of the match, with a leading edge off his bat sending the ball high and into the gloves of wicketkeeper Sanju Samson.
Arshdeep dismissed Ben Duckett for four in the third over, with Rinku Singh taking a stunning backward running catch from the covers.
Arshdeep continues his praise saying, “Varun is really bowling well because in T20s it is crucial to take wickets in the middle overs because if that doesn’t happen the batsmen accelerate towards the end and it becomes tough to bowl at the death, but ever since Varun has come, he has taken wickets in the middle overs and given us a good platform to bowl at the death to the lower order batsmen and would say to him that he should to take wickets like this in the future also.”
Chakravarthy adds, “Look he (Arshdeep) is much senior to me, he won the World Cup (T20) for the country and he has been in amazing form for the country and he has been picking wickets regularly. So I wish he can keep doing that and keep making his family proud and the country also proud. Yeah, Arshdeep today became India’s highest wicket-taker in T20s.”
On becoming the highest wicket-taker for India in the shortest format, Arshdeep says, “Feeling very good and I am very grateful that my hard work has paid off and will try to do the same in the future also. Sorry Yuzi bhai.”
On winning the player of the match award, Chakravarthy says, “Feels good, this is my first player of the match for the country and definitely it feels great because it gives me a sense of certainty.”
The T20I series, followed by three ODIs, between the two teams serve as a warm-up for the 50-over Champions Trophy next month.
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