The 20-year-old new left-arm Indian pacer Khaleel Ahmed has recently claimed that the fast bowling is his strength and he also believes that his left-arm pace bowling can be beneficial for the national team.

In the last month, Khaleel made his international cricket debut during India vs Hong Kong match in the group stage of the Asia Cup 2018 in UAE. Though the left-arm pacer has played only two games where he is able to take a total of four wickets, his fast bowling attitude has impressed the nation.

In addition, while India has no regular left-arm pacer, Khaleel is currently a good option for at least the test. After impressing in the Asia Cup 2018 in UAE, Khaleel has been selected for the upcoming home ODI series against Windies, starting on this Sunday (October 21).

Talking about his bowling, Khaleel said on Friday, “Bowling fast is my strength and I think my left-arm pace can be beneficial for India. I feel my pace and the extra bounce that I can extract, that has given me plenty of wickets in the domestic format and I believe that can be a reason behind the selectors showing their faith in me.”

Khaleel further added that he is happy with his progress. While he admitted that he was nervous during the debutant ODI against Hong Kong, that match also makes him believe that he can play more international matches.

Khaleel said, “I’m happy with my progress. When I made my debut, I was nervous because to play my first game in a tournament as big as the Asia Cup was a big deal for me. The aim was to bowl well so I could present a strong case for my inclusion in the team. The match against Hong Kong went well so that made me believe that I can play longer.”

Also read: Khaleel Ahmed reveals the MS Dhoni influence for his maiden international wicket

The upcoming home ODI series against Windies, where Khaleel has been selected for the first two ODIs of the five-match ODI series, is the part of Khaleel’s preparation to play the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England, which is just more than seven months to go.

The young left-arm pacer said, “The bowling unit is performing well so the plan is to take the confidence forward. That is my plan. I’m viewing this series as part of my preparation to play the World Cup. There are still some ODIs left before the World Cup, so the aim is to make the most of those matches. The more wickets I take, the more confident I’ll be. If I make it to the World Cup, having wickets behind me will help me cope better with pressure.”

While the Windies side was mostly uncompetitive during the recent two-match Test series against the hosts India that India won by 2-0, Khaleel believes the Windies ODI side is much-improved.

Khaleel said about his game plan for the upcoming Windies series, “In ODIs, West Indies are a much-improved side. How to operate with the new ball and during the death overs, will remain my big test. The weather and the conditions look good, ideal for swing.”

Khaleel also said that the senior cricketers of the national team are very helpful as they are always providing important support for him.

Khaleel added, “Obviously, the seniors are all very helpful because I am the junior most member of the team. But I don’t feel like it because we all talk a lot with each other and my teammates are always there to give me confidence. Even during the match, when I’m not bowling well or I feel low, I speak to them and it’s always very helpful.”

Khaleel also credited the former Indian left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan as he believes that Zaheer made him a lot mature as a bowler.

Khaleel said on that, “I was working with Zaheer bhai for two years when I was with the Delhi Daredevils. Since during the IPL, we play in different cities and different type of pitches, to various batsmen, he was always there with his two cents. I think he’s made me a lot mature as a bowler.”