Rinku Singh revealed Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav told him to be ready to bowl in the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. With only nine runs required in the last two overs in the final T20I at Pallekele on Tuesday, Yadav decided to throw the ball to Rinku Singh despite Mohammed Siraj having one over left.

The part time spinner didn’t disappoint as he accounted for Kusal Perera and Ramesh Mendis. Furthermore, Singh conceded only three runs in the penultimate over.

Subsequently, Yadav conceded only five runs in the final over and took two wickets to take the game into the Super Over, which India won convincingly to take the series by 3-0.

“I have scalped quite some wickets in domestic cricket, and I even have a wicket in ODIs. Surya had informed me to be ready for bowling in the series,” Rinku Singh said in a video posted on BCCI website.

“Although I did not bowl in the run-up to this game, Surya bhai had asked me to keep rehearsing my bowling.

“I did not expect to be asked to bowl during the game, as the situation was quite tight. But, he asked me to roll my arm over. And, once I began bowling, it was God’s plan – two wickets.”

On the other hand, India’s off-spinner Washington Sundar said it was a great call by Suryakumar Yadav to bring in Rinku Singh as the pitch was assisting the spinners.

“For Surya, to bring himself into one of the most crunch situations, and almost win the game for the team was amazing. Honestly, I was focusing on what I wanted to do against those batters,” said Sundar.

“It was a great opportunity given to me, especially to win the game for my country. I don’t know how many people would get the opportunity to do that now and then,” he said.

India will now take on Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series, starting Friday in Colombo.