Dec. 8: Memories of a sparkling tour exactly four years ago still fresh in his mind, India medium pacer S. Sreesanth is again travelling to South Africa with the belief that Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men have it in them to win a Test series there.
Speaking from Mumbai before leaving for South Africa on Tuesday night, the 27-year-old said that in the last four years he had become more matured, restrained and focussed. “People always ask me what is the difference between old and new Sreesanth. It’s just the same... But I guess I’m more matured and focussed now, which is obvious. You get matured with age,” Sreesanth said. The wickets of South Africa might have been India’s nemesis, but Sreesanth strongly believes that this time there would be a turnaround. “There is nothing difficult there. If it’s difficult, it’s possible as well (to win a series there). We love challenges and are really looking forward to the series. It’s about taking one ball, one day at a time,” he said.
As a 23-year-old, in his sixth Test appearance four years ago, he had produced his best bowling effort to pack off South Africa for a paltry 84 at the Wanderers, leading India to a famous win. The visitors, however, lost the remaining two Tests and returned home defeated.
His Wanderers performance — 5/40 in an innings and 8/99 in the match — till day remains his best-ever bowling effort. Thanks to that spell of fast bowling, India managed their first win in South Africa after 12 attempts.
Recalling the team’s last tour of South Africa, he said: “In the last series, I was about 23... I was full of energy as every youngster is.”