Khaleel Ahmed talks about long-awaited return to India colors

Delhi Capitals pacer Khaleel Ahmed is enjoying a splendid campaign in IPL 2024, having taken 14 wickets in 12 matches so far. The left-arm pacer, who last played for India in December 2019, has made a well-deserved return to the national team, earning a place as a substitute for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Khaleel poured his heart out during episode 3 (season 4) of the DC Podcast. He spoke at length about his journey to regain a place in the Indian team and shared his thoughts on the highest-scoring matches in the current IPL season.

India call-up – Khaleel predicted

The 26-year-old pacer stated on DC Podcast, “The way the last few months have gone and the way the IPL started, I had a gut feeling that something good was going to happen. As the IPL matches progressed, my confidence continued to growing up. I realized I was playing well and it was always about taking a step forward. Finally, when the name came up, I was very happy and it was a step forward for me.”

Every day was like a battle

Reflecting on what has been a challenging journey, the Delhi Capitals pacer said: “2019 was a long time ago. Every day, in the back of my mind, I missed that feeling of playing for the country. , I used to imagine what I would have done if I had been on the team. So every day was like a battle and these kinds of conversations were going on in my head.

“After the last IPL, I just took a week’s break and embarked on this journey. I made it a point to play all the domestic matches. It’s difficult to be a fast bowler, but I decided that whatever happens to me, I will play all the matches . I pushed myself mentally last year and I grew from it. Mentally, I just have to fight for it, day, night or anytime, because my life has always been about cricket, nothing bothers me anymore,” he added. .

Embracing the challenge of high-scoring IPL

“I believe this is the best time for fast bowlers to come to the fore. If a pitcher performs in difficult situations like these, he will be considered a King, and I want to be that King. About the current scenario,” he stated.

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