Debutant pacer D. Deepesh on Monday credited Tamil Nadu captain Sai Kishore with helping him stay patient during his long wicketless spell against Rajasthan in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here.
“Sai Kishore helped me a lot. He told me, ‘You bowl and give your full effort. I don’t mind if runs are scored off you. You will get a wicket. As long as you give your full effort, that is enough for me.’ While I was doing that, I got one wicket, and then two more came from the same effort,” he said.
His persistence with the short ball paid off. “It was not that everyone could leave the bouncer easily. They were all going for their shots. We felt it would be useful because of the areas they were trying to hit, so we used the bouncer a lot,” he said.
Deepesh added that his experience in the TNCA first-division league had prepared him for long spells without wickets.
“In first-division matches, bowling eight or 10 overs is normal for us. Getting even one wicket after 10 overs is a big thing on those wickets, which are mostly spin-friendly or flat. If we bowl 10 overs and get two maidens, we are very happy. Playing on those pitches has helped me here,” he said.
Published – October 12, 2026 08:18 pm IST
