“Every day was like a war”: DC star on long-awaited comeback in Bharat Colors

Making his long-awaited comeback to India, Delhi Capitals fast bowler Khaleel Ahmed said the last four-and-a-half years have been a tough mental battle for him as he missed playing for the country. The 26-year-old left-arm fast bowler has earned a spot as the standby for the upcoming T20 World Cup on the back of his sensational performances for DC in this IPL. He has taken 14 wickets in 12 matches so far. Khalil said that he saw India coming towards him.

Speaking on the DC Podcast, he said, “The way the last few months were going and the way the IPL started, I knew something good would happen.”

“As the IPL matches progressed, my confidence grew. I realized I was bowling well, and it’s always about taking a step forward. Finally, when the name came, I was very happy, And this is a step forward for me.” Khalil played 11 ODIs and 14 T20 matches for India, taking 15 and 13 wickets, respectively. His last appearance for India was a T20 match against Bangladesh in Nagpur in November, 2019.

“2019 was a long time ago. Every day, the feeling of playing for the country would come to my mind,” Khalil said.

“Whenever I watched India play, I would imagine what I would have done if I was in the team. So, every day was like a battle and these kinds of conversations were going on in my mind.” Khaleel said that he took only a week’s break after the last IPL and played all the domestic matches.

“As a fast bowler it is difficult, but I have made up my mind that no matter what happens to me, I will play all the matches. I have pushed myself mentally last year and have moved forward with that.”

He said, “Mentally, you just have to fight for it, day, night or any time, because my life has always been about cricket. My thoughts are only about cricket, and nothing else bothers me.” Is.”

IPL 2024 has been a nightmare for bowlers but Khaleel feels “this is the best moment for fast bowlers to emerge.” “If any bowler performs in such difficult conditions, he will be considered a king and I want to be that king. So, that has been my mindset regarding the current scenario,” he said.

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