Star Indian pacer Ishant Sharma credited his County stints with Sussex for success in the Test match against England. On Thursday, Ishant registered his eighth five-wicket haul. Speaking about his success in the longest format of the game, Ishant said his impressive county stint with Sussex gave him the much-needed confidence and experience ahead of the current tour of England.

Ishant played four matches for Sussex in the County Championship Division Two earlier this year, scalping an impressive 15 wickets and even scoring a half-century.

Ishant (5/51) registered his second five-wicket haul on English soil Friday to help India bowl out the hosts for 180 in the second innings, leaving the visitors to chase a 194-run target to win.

“Playing county cricket has helped me a lot. I was disappointed a bit (on missing out IPL) but I figured, whatever happens, it’s for your good. It was a good experience and I enjoyed it a lot. I played for Sussex and bowling with Duke’s ball was good,” Ishant told reporters at the post match press conference on Friday night.

“The good thing was I had overs behind me. I played four matches for Sussex, and a few One-Day matches too, but I bowled nearly 250 overs in that.

“It feels nice to represent your country, come abroad and take five wickets in an innings, especially the second one. I bowl hard but my wickets’ column doesn’t (always) become bigger. It feels nice to work hard as a bowler,” he added.

Ishant bowled a sensational spell in the post-lunch session and destroyed the English middle order. He changed angles to come round the wicket and most of the English left-handed batsmen found it difficult to handle his swing.

Asked about the ploy, Ishant said it was premeditated.

“In the first innings, we wanted to take the ball away from the left-handers. I started over the stumps but when the ball started to do things I came around.

“Bowling coach told me to come around the stumps straightway. It becomes a difficult angle for the batsmen. When I start to swing the ball, it becomes very difficult for the left-handers,” he said.

-With PTI inputs.