Sri Lanka had lost 9-0 to India across all formats a few months back and were therefore never expected to provide the ideal preparation for what will be a challenging trip to South Africa for the world’s top-ranked test team. But it was Ishant’s match haul of 5-80 that the skipper described as the standout bowling performance of the match. In Nagpur, he extracted good bounce and movement from a batting-friendly track, which could prove crucial in South Africa with India set to face wickets that are expected to aid the faster bowlers. I didn’t take many wickets in the last 12 Tests I played, especially in India. But now I am getting wickets, I am feeling pretty good about myself.

Source: The Express Tribune November 28, 2017 11:03 UTC