Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh revealed on Monday that the Indian team had crafted a meticulous blueprint to remove West Indies captain Shai Hope early in the third T20I at Holkar Stadium, Indore, and felt immense satisfaction when the plan clicked perfectly in India's 14-run victory on Sunday night. The win handed India a 2-1 lead in the five-match T20I series.

The Plan to Dismiss Shai Hope

Arshdeep wasted no time executing the strategy, castling the in-form Shai Hope in just the second over as the West Indies captain went for a wild slog and paid the price. 'Before the match, we had planned how to keep things tight to him and when you execute that plan in the match, it feels good when you get the result,' Arshdeep said in a video posted on bcci.tv. He added that he was grateful to the coaching staff for working through the plan and backing him to use it during the game.

Three Wickets That Sealed India's Win

Arshdeep's role in the match extended well beyond the early Hope dismissal. With West Indies chasing 223, the contest remained alive as long as the dangerous Sherfane Rutherford was at the crease. Arshdeep removed Rutherford and also dismissed Keemo Paul to effectively end the contest and secure the victory. The left-arm pacer credited the collective bowling effort for maintaining pressure throughout the innings. 'I bowled very well. Mayank kept the pressure from the other end and all the six bowlers chipped in and bowled very well,' he said.

A Light-Hearted Apology to Axar Patel

Arshdeep, who contributed a useful boundary with the bat during India's innings, also offered a candid, good-humoured apology to all-rounder Axar Patel after a mid-pitch mix-up led to Axar's run-out. 'I would like to apologize to Axar bhai. Sorry, Axar bhai. I got you run out,' Arshdeep said. On his own batting ambitions, the pacer reflected with characteristic honesty: 'I keep trying in batting. The results are rare. But today, it just connected well.'

Dressing Room Culture and Hunger to Improve

Arshdeep attributed his steady growth at the international level to the inclusive and relaxed atmosphere within the Indian team. 'In the dressing room, the environment is very chill. There is no one who behaves as if they have played more or less matches,' he said. He also emphasised a personal drive for continuous skill development. 'I keep trying to learn about something and get in a different skill set. There is always that willingness to learn and improve my game,' he added. The pacer's performance in Indore has reinforced his status as a key powerplay and death-overs weapon for India ahead of the remaining two matches of the series.