INTERVIEW | Hartley takes seven wickets as England beat India in opening Test
England secured one of their greatest Test victories with Tom Hartley's seven-wicket haul on debut following Ollie Pope's 196 as the tourists completed a 28-run comeback win over India in Hyderabad.
The tourists looked on the brink of defeat on the third afternoon when they slumped to 163-5 in their second innings and still trailed by 27, but Pope and Hartley engineered a stunning revival.
Lancashire’s left-arm spinner, aged 24, took 7/62 from 26.2 overs in the second innings, as England bowled India out for 202.
Watch: Tom Hartley reflects on a dream debut against India.
"I was so nervous that first day. I was so happy to bring a few runs to the team, hit a six, tick a few things off," said Hartley, speaking after the Test Match concluded on Sunday.
"Then it was frustration that I was the bowler getting picked on, I was thinking if this was going to be the story for the whole series.
"I've been hit for a lot of sixes in my career, so I don't let these things get on top of me. The background I've had is to not let yourself get down. I just want to be a fighter and throw some punches back."
"Coming out here, I was just looking to get a game or a couple of games," he said. "I might now have a big role, but I'm more than ready for that. I want more of it."
England men’s Head Coach Brendon McCullum said: "He was fantastic," McCullum told SENZ. "Sometimes you have to be a little bit brave with selection and if you like a character and their skillset and think it is going to be suited to conditions then it is kind of an educated punt.
"When we picked Tom people raised their eyebrows a little bit, but let's not forget Nathan Lyon had only played a handful of first-class games and averaged 40-odd when he got picked by Australia and he's gone on to have a fabulous career."
2024 England Cricket Tickets: Emirates Old Trafford
Next summer, International cricket returns to Emirates Old Trafford with an England Men v Sri Lanka LV= Insurance Test Match on Wednesday 21 - Sunday 25 August 2024, and England Men v Australia Vitality IT20 on Sunday 15 September 2024.