The youthful left-arm bowler Arshdeep Singh's ability to handle pressure in crucial periods of the game delighted India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, who called it "phenomenal," on Wednesday.
Arshdeep took 3/32 in his four overs in India's T20 World Cup opener against Pakistan at a sold-out Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday. He also caught the opposing skipper Babar Azam lbw on his first ball of the game and then bowled out Mohammad Rizwan and Asif Ali with short balls.
"One quality about the young man that really leaps out when you follow him (Arshdeep) for the past couple of years and consider how he has done is his capacity to handle pressure. He puts in a lot of effort during the IPL and does various things depending on when he bowls, which include the power-play and death overs. The poise and clarity of his cognitive processes indicate that he is a wonderful young man "Mhambrey made this statement in the pre-match press conference prior to Thursday's Super 12 encounter between India and the Netherlands.
Arshdeep's spell and Hardik Pandya's 3/30 helped India successfully restrict Pakistan to 159/8, which they then thrillingly chased down off the final ball. He also made history by being the first bowler to dismiss Azam and Rizwan, two of Pakistan's most effective openers, for just one run in the same innings.
"The way he has recovered (after receiving harsh trolling for dropping a catch against Pakistan in the Asia Cup), the clarity he has displayed, and his capacity to handle pressure are incredible. He will go through a phase and experience ups and downs in his career. With the way he bowled in the first game as well, I am not particularly shocked. Therefore, he has a bright future for us and we have a lot of confidence in him "Mhambrey added.
Arshdeep is playing competitive cricket in Australia for the first time in this event, and Mhambrey praised him for soaking up important information from seasoned pacers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammad Shami, who have participated in numerous matches here while on previous trips.
"There is a lot of conversation to start. He is the type of guy that enjoys talking a lot. He spoke with other seasoned players and frequently converses with Bhuvi and Shami because they both have experience playing here (in Australia). He has attempted to apply it to his game as a type of learning.
"I will give that credit to him as well, having a chat and understanding what is required. But to be able to go out there and execute and do it yourself, the individual skills come in. In that sense, I will give the credit to him," he concluded.