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A memorable Twenty20 debut performance in his bag, young India seamer Barinder Sran says receiving tips on the art of swing bowling from veteran Ashish Nehra and Bhuvneshwar Kumar helped him.
Sran (4-10) returned the best figures by an Indian debutant in T20 Internationals to help India restrict Zimbabwe to a paltry 99 for nine and then register a 10-wicket victory in the second match of the series in Harare on Monday.
"I got ideas from Ashish Nehra and Bhuvneshwar Kumar about reverse swing and seam position. The main thing is to handle pressure and bowler has to read batsmen quickly in T20s, vary the pace and length of the ball," Sran told bcci.tv.
The 23-year-old from Sirsa, Haryana, added: "It's a dream debut; everyone dreams about making his debut an unforgettable one... really proud that I achieved the best T20 figures by a debutant."
He was delighted to receive his maiden India T20 and ODI caps from captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
"It's a big thing to get the ODI and T20 caps from Mahibhai; even that is like a dream!"
Sran was interested in boxing too, initially, but has no regrets about choosing cricket as his profession.
"The decision to chose cricket over boxing was taken long time back and I have no regrets. I never thought about boxing after that and it seems like a correct decision. While I was playing for Punjab in first-class cricket I realised that I was in a stable place. I felt there was not much scope in boxing."
The bowler, though, still watches boxing on television, especially Vijender Singh's professional bouts.
Talking about his seam bowling colleagues in India's limited-overs' side, Sran said, "(Jasprit) Bumrah has got different action; he has the pace. Dhawalbhai also swings the ball and I have an advantage of being a left-armer."
On things he would want to take from legendary Pakistan left-arm pacer Wasim Akram, Sran said, "Speed, reverse swing, his ideas, his ability to get the ball swing in and out."