IPL 2020 | Getting Virat Kohli out is special, expresses Sandeep Sharma

As things stand out, no one has dismissed Kohli more times (seven) than Sandeep in the IPL history. In 12 innings, Sandeep has let Kohli make only 69 runs off his bowling, getting him out seven times. Barring 2018 IPL season, the swing bowler has got Virat Kohli out at least once every season since the 2014 edition of the lucrative league. On Saturday, in a big game for both SRH and RCB, Sandeep again had his man as he got rid of Virat on 7, giving a massive jolt to RCB, and they could never recover.  

Sandeep, who finished with figures of 2/20 and set up the win for SRH was named the Man-of-the-Match. He stated that getting one of the greatest batsmen Kohli out is very special. He also revealed that he had no idea how many times he had got the Indian skipper out until someone told him about the record. 

“Kohli is one of the greatest batsmen, so getting him out is special. 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,” Sandeep stated. 

He also disclosed that Jonny Bairstow has been helping him to ace the knuckle ball, which took him a few months to master. He also added that he was told by Holder and Bairstow to bowl straighter deliveries as he has been bowling the in swingers well and wants to keep working on his wrist position. 

“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.

“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.”