‘I’m a much better bowler now’ – Out-of-favour Indian pacer responds strongly to Srikkanth’s criticism

Former Indian chief selector Srikkanth was unhappy with the Indian pacer Khaleel Ahmed after the T20I series between India and Bangladesh back in 2019. The 25-year-old played conceded 108 runs by taking 2 wickets in a three-match series. He was dropped from the team and hasn’t played for India since then.

Khaleel Ahmed made his debut for the Indian team during the 2018 Asia Cup. The left-arm pacer believes that he wasn’t at his best during the Asia Cup and also responded to the criticism by Srikkanth.

“Frankly Khaleel Ahmed looks a misfit at this level. There is always scope for improvement, but he has to learn fast,” Srikkanth wrote in his column for Times of India back in 2019.

‘Currently, these things don’t matter to me’ – Khaleel Ahmed

Khaleel said that he was hurt by the comments but also took it as constructive criticism to improve his performance. He said that he is much better now than he was in the past.

“Yes, I saw this somewhere in the media and it obviously hurt me. I thought that I was also a player from India. I was very young and emotional. I saw it as how I could improve myself,” he said. “Currently, these things don’t matter to me. I have learnt that following the process that you have is the most important. I focus on following a healthy diet and on my practice. I do check what people are saying about me, but it doesn’t matter. I laugh it off when it’s good, and it’s the same even when it’s bad,” said Khaleel during an interaction with former India cricketer Aakash Chopra on Jio Cinema.

Khaleel will not be part of the upcoming season of the Indian T20 League as he went unsold in the 2023 auction. He played for the Delhi franchise last year where he took 16 wickets in 10 games. When asked about his hopes of returning in the Indian team, Khaleel said:

“I wasn’t that good when I played for India. I believe that I’m a much better bowler now, but I’m not in the Indian team. I am 10 times a better bowler than I was when I played for India. I can read the game better, and I can read the batsman better.”

Khaleel has appeared in 11 ODIs and 14 T20Is for India till now, taking 28 wickets across both formats.