MUMBAI: Delighted to earn a maiden national call-up, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh said bowling to the big-hitting Punjab Kings batters in the nets helped him perfect his yorkers.
The 23-year-old, who has impressed one and all with his death over bowling this season, ended his IPL campaign with 10 wickets and an economy rate of 7.70.
His ability to bowl the change-ups along with wide yorkers and deliveries in the block-hole earned him a place in the squad for the home series against South Africa next month.
Arshdeep got to know the good news on his way to Punjab's last league stage match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday.
"I got to know just before the match, in the bus that I have got selected in the Indian team. Because the match was going on I didn't feel much," Arshdeep told teammate Harpreet Brar after Punjab Kings' five-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.
"It will sink in slowly. It is a special moment. I feel lucky and grateful would like to continue like this," he added.
The youngster, who served as a net bowler for the Indian team in an away series against Sri Lanka last year, said bowling to world-class batters, including Jonny Bairstow, Shikhar Dhawan and Liam Livingstone, in the Punjab Kings nets session helped him perfect his craft.
"Credit goes to management. They got such batters in the team that the only option to stop them in the nets was by bowling yorkers. And that improved my ability to bowl yorkers."
