'I'm a 10 times better bowler...': Discarded India pacer's befitting reply to Srikkanth's 4-year-old 'misfit' remark

It did take four years though, but an Indian pacer, now out of reckoning from making a comeback to the national side, has responded to a criticism made against him by India legend Krishnamachari Srikkanth.

When a player performs well, the world applauds. Similarly, after string of poor returns, criticisms follow. It is part of an athlete's life. In a way, it helps the athlete grow and makes him/her smarter and mature as a person as well. And then there is always a way of giving it back. It did take four years though, but an Indian pacer, now out of reckoning from making a comeback to the national side, has responded to a criticism made against him by India legend Krishnamachari Srikkanth.

Indian team; Krishnamachari Srikkanth

When India were desperately in search for a left-arm pacer like yesteryear stars in Zaheer Khan or RP Singh, Khaleel Ahmed was an option India had taken an interest in. Following an impressive IPL season, the fast bowler from Rajasthan, who was mentored by the legendary Zaheer during his time at Delhi Capitals, made his debut for India in 2018 in the Asia Cup tournament. Overall, he played 11 ODIs and 14 T20Is over a stretch of next one year before falling out of contention. His last appearance was in 2019, in a T20I tie against Bangladesh at home.

It was right during that series that former India chief selector Srikkanth had criticised the left-arm pacer for his poor returns in series where he conceded 81 runs in two matches with just two wickets.

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

During an interaction with former India cricketer Aakash Chopra on Jio Cinema, Khaleel revealed that he was hurt by the comments but took it as constructive criticism.

"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."

Khaleel will not be part of IPL 2023 after having gone unsold at the auction. And it came after an impressive show for DC in the last season where he picked 16 wickets in 10 matches.

When asked about his hopes of a comeback to 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."