Playing for India will be surreal feeling, claims Siddharth Kaul

The SRH bowling unit has thrived in the IPL this season as they have firmly established their place at the top of the table with a superior run-rate as compared to Chennai Super Kings. Bowlers like Sandeep Sharma, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Rashid Khan and Basil Thampi have performed extremely well for the side. However, their most impressive bowler would certainly be 27-year-old Siddarth Kaul, who has scalped 13 wickets so far, at an economy rate of a little over seven per over.

Kaul’s exploits in the domestic circuit and in the IPL this year, quite expectantly, have earned him a call-up in the Indian national team for the upcoming tours to England and Ireland in July. And the man from Pathankot has stated that the feeling of donning the blue jersey would be somewhat of a dream for him.

"I just switched on my phone and bhai (Uday) called to tell me the news. It is a surreal feeling. I am just answering calls now. This will be the first time that I will be playing in England. I have heard pitches there suit bowlers. If I get a chance to play, I would love to win matches for my team and country, but my focus is on IPL for now," Kaul told TOI. 

"I am enjoying bowling this season and trying to make the most of my abilities. The fact that all other bowlers are doing pretty well is also helping me bowl with confidence," Kaul added. 

Kaul had earned his first India call-up a few months ago almost 10 years after toiling hard in the domestic circuit but wasn’t given a spot in the starting eleven. The speedster has credited SRH teammate Bhuvneshwar Kumar as an influential figure in helping him develop his bowling skills.

"This is my third season for Sunrisers and I owe Bhuvi a lot. I think he is the smartest bowler in the world, he is an inspiration for me. He keeps helping me, even in nets," claimed Kaul.

Kaul belonged to Virat Kohli’s World Cup winning U-19 team, but a string of injuries in 2011-12 hampered his growth as a bowler, which has hindered his success over the years. However, he seemed to be in peak form at the moment and if he could carry this same form into the national setup he will be able to cement his place in the ODI team ahead of the 2019 World Cup.