RP Singh mars Pakistan chase

Rudra Pratap Singh, in what he called the “best match” of his career, took three vital wickets at the only Test centre in his home state, reports Sharad Deep.

Rudra Pratap Singh, in what he called the “best match” of his career, took three vital wickets at the only Test centre in his home state, a home game he had been waiting for since he first donned the India cap in 2005.

HT Image

Despite being under pressure, Singh said that for him, his performance — 3/62 and a superb run out — was not unexpected.

"I was determined to do well at home,” said an elated Singh after receiving UP's highest sporting award, the Manyawar Kanshi Ram International Sports Award, from Chief Minister Mayawati after the match. Piyush Chawla, the second UP player in the Indian team at the Twenty20 World Cup, was also felicitated.

Singh said that right from his India debut, it was his dream to excel at the Green Park Stadium. He was glad that he could do this at his first international at the ground.

“It’s a dream come true,” Singh, who hails from Rae Bareili, told HT. “I was expecting this as I had told myself to just do it!” Singh said he was a bit nervous about how he would do at home, but once he was handed the ball in the morning, the pressure vanished.

"I'm happy I could do well before my own fans, and I’ll always remember today’s performance as one of the great matches of my career," concluded Singh.