'Did not have a good IPL' - Ravi Bishnoi reflects on difficult phase after impressive comeback in 3rd T20I

After impressing in the third T20I against New Zealand, Ravi Bishnoi shared how difficult it was for him to stay away from the Indian team but revealed that he used that phase to work on his flaws. The talented leg-spinner played his first T20I in 11 months and finished with excellent figures of 2/18 in four overs.

He picked up the crucial wickets of Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman, two batters who had spent a decent amount of time in the middle at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday, January 25.

After the match, Bishnoi said that during his time away from the Indian team he worked hard on not giving freebies to the batters. He admitted that he didn't have a great Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign and was nervous as well as excited after being named in India's playing XI for the third T20I.

"In the last one year, I have worked hard on not giving easy balls. Because of my pace, if I get it wrong, it becomes easier for the batter to hit me. The aim was to bowl on a good length. With my speed, it is difficult to hit me if I get my length right," Bishnoi explained at the post-match press conference.

"I have worked on my lengths in the last year. I did not have a good IPL last season. I did not have proper control over my line and length. That's why things were tough. I was nervous when I got the opportunity today. There is always that excitement," the leg-spinner elaborated.

The Jodhpur-born mentioned that he used the domestic cricket as a platform to facilitate his comeback to the national team.

"When you are out of the team, it is tough. You feel that you should be in the team, but you are not. There are very few places in the Indian team, so you get very few opportunities. But, I got time to work on myself. Playing domestic cricket also helped me in making a comeback," Bishnoi said.

'It's not like he just comes into a game and starts hitting' - Ravi Bishnoi on Abhishek Sharma

Bishnoi heaped praise on Abhishek Sharma, who scored a blistering 68* off 20 balls to help India chase down a 154-run target in 10 overs on Sunday. The 25-year-old said that Abhishek just doesn't go out to the crease and start hitting the ball. Bishnoi stated that the Indian opener works hard on his game behind the scenes and it helps him play match-winning knocks such as the one he played on Sunday.

"Touch wood. The kind of form he is in, India requires it. The way he is playing, he has practiced a lot. It's not like he just comes into a game and starts hitting. We hope he can continue his good form. If you get such starts, the game gets over in the first six overs, like it happened today," Bishnoi said.