IPL 2020 : “Getting his wicket is always special,” Sandeep Sharma on dismissing Virat Kohli for record seventh time

IPL 2020 : “Getting his wicket is always special,” Sandeep Sharma on dismissing Virat Kohli for record seventh time

Sandeep Sharma after taking Virat Kohli's wicket

Sandeep Sharma
Sandeep Sharma

It looked like the end of the road for Sunrisers Hyderabad after their pace spearhead Bhuvaneswar Kumar was ruled out of the IPL due to an injury. But veteran Sandeep Sharma rose to the occasion and has contributed highly to keep SRH afloat in the race for playoffs. The 27-year-old has been picking up wickets in the powerplay regularly to give his side a great start and the last game against Royal Challengers Bangalore was no different.

Sandeep castled in form Devdutt Padikal before sending RCB skipper Virat Kohli packing in the next over. It was a record 7th time Sandeep dismissed Kohli in the IPL, the most by any bowler in the history of the league. Sandeep was adjudged man of the match for his figures of 2 for 20 as SRH restricted RCB to just 120 before chasing it down with 5 wickets and 35 balls in hand.

Getting him out is special

Sandeep Sharma after taking Virat Kohli's wicket
Sandeep Sharma after taking Virat Kohli’s wicket

Sandeep, who is known for his swing bowling, has always been able to keep Kohli quite. The India skipper has only been able to score 68 runs in 12 innings off his bowling. Sandeep hails his wicket as a special one for him. He adds that he didn’t know that he has got Kohli for a record time until someone informed him.

“Kohli is one of the greatest batsmen, so getting him out is special,” Sharma said after being named Player of the Match. “I didn’t know that (dismissing Kohli for the record seventh time in IPL). When I got him, someone came and told me about it. He’s one of the greats, getting his wicket is always special, I enjoyed it.”

Took around four months to get the knuckle ball right

Sandeep Sharma
Sandeep Sharma

With his 2 wickets against RCB last night, Sandeep became the highest wicket-taker against RCB in the history of IPL with 23 wickets. The Punjab quick shares that he has put a lot of work into perfecting his knuckleball. And clearly, it has paid off for him. Sandeep is looking to add more variations to his arsenal as the game keeps evolving every year.

“When I started bowling, it was a bit sticky. It’s coming nicely, it’s got cooler here, so it’s helping. I have been bowling the knuckle ball, Jonny (Bairstow) has been helping me. It took around three or four months to get it right,” Sharma added.

“I was talking to Bairstow and Holder, they told me that I was bowling good inswingers and it would be hard for the batsmen if I could bowl the straighter deliveries. So I am working hard on that and it came out nicely today. Very happy with that. I need to change my wrist position, which I am working in the nets. I’m trying to bowl some outswingers as well, working hard. I have been bowling knuckle balls for the last three years, I don’t have to practice that much, I know my lengths with that.”

Also read : IPL 2020 RCB vs SRH: Hyderabad defeat Bangalore by 5 wickets in a low scoring encounter at Sharjah