Shardul Thakur picked three wickets while conceding only 23 runs in the second T20I against Sri Lanka in Indore.
India cruised to a seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second T20I in Indore to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Shardul Thakur, who took three wickets in the game, conceding only 23 runs in 4 overs, was pleased with his performance with the ball.
In the post-match press conference, Thakur expressed his delight with his performance, saying that he had been working hard to put out such performances in international matches.
"Pretty much. I have been working hard for it and in an international game, when it pays off, it really makes me happy," Thakur said in the post-match press conference when asked if he was satisfied with the performance.
Thakur, Navdeep Saini (2/18) and the returning Jasprit Bumrah (1/32) were all impressive in the second T20I as the side restricted Sri Lanka to 142/9 in 20 overs. The host side chased the target with 15 balls to spare.
Thakur admitted that inconsistency in the shortest format comes from the dynamics of the game, but it's a learning experience.
"I feel, T20 is such a short format and it is always going to be up and down. The more you play, the more experience you get and you keep learning. Whereas, the five-day format is a more settled format and you have time to think about your game. But in T20, you have to make precise decisions," he said.
He also believes that playing intensively over the past 2-3 years in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the domestic circuit has helped his game.
"...Over a period of years while practicing, I have been developing my skills and just brushing it up. I think by playing continuously for the last 2-3 years, in the IPL and domestic circuit, I am getting better," Thakur said.
India and Sri Lanka will meet for the final T20I of the series in Pune.
