Khaleel Ahmed to replace Jasprit Bumrah? Indian pacer's honest admission after India seal the series vs Zimbabwe

Left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed expressed his joy about his comeback in international cricket during the ongoing five-match T20I series between India and Zimbabwe. Khaleel Ahmed highlighted how much he missed being part of the team while he was away, adding that "this series is everything for him."

The Indian bowlers restricted Zimbabwe to a below-par total of 152/7 in the fourth T20I in Harare on Saturday, July 13. Khaleel Ahmed was the standout bowler for India, with figures of 2/32 in four overs. Tushar Deshpande, Washington Sundar, Abhishek Sharma, and Shivam Dube each claimed one wicket.

Indian captain Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal formed an unbeaten 156-run opening partnership during the run chase. The Men in Blue secured a dominant 10-wicket victory. The Shubman Gill-led team clinched the five-match series 3-1, with one game remaining at the same venue on Sunday, July 14.

Extremely Happy With My Performance - Khaleel Ahmed

In a post-match interview, Khaleel Ahmed said that he has found his rhythm and adapted well to the conditions. Khaleel emphasized the significance of the series for him and expressed immense happiness at contributing to India's success.

"To be very honest, I am extremely happy with my performances because of how I have got the rhythm in my bowling and the way I have adapted to the conditions. I was also able to execute well, so I am quite happy with that," Khaleel said.

"This series is everything for me because when I wasn't a part of this dressing room, I was missing it a lot. So I am delighted to be a part of this dressing room and performing for India, and that happiness is different, I cannot express it," he added.

Khaleel made his T20I debut for the Indian team against the West Indies in November 2018. The left-arm pacer last played a T20I for India against Bangladesh in November 2019, before the ongoing series. He has taken three wickets in three matches against Zimbabwe at an impressive economy rate of 6.81.

Don't Look At It Like That - Khaleel Ahmed

When asked about filling Jasprit Bumrah's role as a bowling leader, Khaleel Ahmed said that all bowlers are equal and play together, even in the IPL. The 26-year-old pacer stated that his role is to provide a strong start when opening the bowling.

"I don't look at it like that. We all play together, even in the IPL. All of us are equal. Yes, I consider it a responsibility because when I start the first over, the team should get a good start. So my focus is generally on that," Khaleel further added.

The Delhi Capitals pacer was one of four reserves who traveled with the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the USA. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh was selected over Khaleel in the 15-member squad. Arshdeep and Jasprit Bumrah performed well during Team India's successful campaign.

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