India vs Australia: Jason Behrendorff sets sights on Test team after inspiring show at Guwahati

Guwahati: He is ecstatic after his match-winning performance in his very second international game but rookie left-arm speedster Jason Behrendorff’s ultimate aim is to play Test cricket for a long time. “Test cricket is the ultimate prize and wearing the baggy green cap is something I am sure all cricketers aspire to and I certainly do. I will be pursuing and doing everything I can to play Test cricket,” Behrendorff said after winning Man of the Match award for his 4/21 in Australia’s eight wicket victory. Having bowled just an over on his debut in Ranchi, the lanky pacer made the most of the overcast conditions to rip through the Indian top four – Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Manish Pandey – in 15 deliveries. [caption id=“attachment_4133027” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Australia’s Jason Behrendorff bowls during the second T20I match against India in Guwahati. AP[/caption] The feeling of winning a game for Australia is yet to sink in. “An unbelievable feeling to be honest. Ranchi was almost nearly not getting on at all, to get one over was great to get out there but to bowl four overs tonight to take four wickets but mainly to get a win, to get the boys back up and about after a pretty tough time in the one-dayers, it’s very special,” said Behrendorff. “I was really happy with that. A few ones that I got hit to the boundary probably were not obviously where I needed to be bowling. “But obviously to get the ball up there, swing the ball, hit guys on the pads and nick blokes off those are the things we talk about in our meetings to get the balls in those areas especially up front so I was very happy with that.” It’s interesting to see if Australia would field two left-armers in Behrendorff and Mitchell Starc in the upcoming Ashes. “We are left-armers, we both swing it a bit. Mitch bowls a bit quicker than I do, but I know Mitch reasonably well. I’ve spent a bit of time playing with him occasionally but mainly against him. He is someone that I feel I can talk to and get some advice off as well.” Having been hit for two boundaries in the first over, Behrendorff set it up nicely for Rohit. The full length delivery swung back to trap him leg before. “For me, that’s what I generally try to do – swing it back, that’s my plan up front especially to the right handers,” he said. Being aggressive may be fast bowlers’ forte but Behrendorff wants his ball to do the talking. “You don’t have to be mean and nasty all the time. Generally I try and let my skills and the ball do the work and let that do the talking for me instead of getting into a verbal battle or anything like that. “Some guys enjoy that and that’s what gets them going and fired up, but it’s not really my style.” Having struggled with with injuries, Behrendorff has acquired education in sports science. “It’s nice to have a bit of knowledge about what’s going on so I can chat to the doctors and the physios and understand exactly what’s going on, what I need to do.” Behrendorff knows a thing or two about intense rehabiliation programmes. “The main thing is doing your rehab and getting back… and now enjoying playing international cricket for the first time. It’s something I have worked so hard for and I am loving every minute of it.” Back home it was an emotional time for his family. “It was a very special moment probably telling my wife first off was amazing. She was away at the time so we had to do it over the phone. She was very excited. “The next best one was my dad. He’s never speechless, he’s an outgoing sort of guy but he was speechless on the phone for about 10 seconds.” The latest Aussie pacer may also be sought after in the lucrative Indian Premier League T20. “It might do. That’s down the track, I’ve got a fair bit of cricket to play yet so first and foremost focussed on winning the next game in Hyderabad and then got a summer of cricket to play but that would be very nice,” he concluded.