Liam Dawson admitted suffering from a bout of nerves after ending his Test exodus with a crucial breakthrough on the opening day against India in Manchester.
In the eight years since his previous appearance, England had played 102 matches, but the 35-year-old spinner wasted little time in settling down after replacing the injured Shoaib Bashir, snaring the dangerous Yashasvi Jaiswal at slip with just his seventh delivery.
‘I was definitely nervous. Of course. I’d not played for a number of years,’ Hampshire all-rounder Dawson said.
‘Obviously, nerves are a good thing and the more you play, you sort of learn how to manage those nerves.
‘Test cricket’s hard. You know you’re going to have good days, bad days, but the biggest thing for me is that I sort of understood what to expect.
‘The older you get you learn how to manage game scenarios too.
Liam Dawson (right) returned to the Test team with a bang in just his seventh delivery
He snared dangerous Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for England’s second wicket
The Hampshire all-rounder insisted that he is now a better cricketer than his last Test cap
‘I’ve bowled a lot of overs for the last few years and when you bowl, you improve.Â
‘I do feel I am a better bowler than a few years ago.’
After winning the toss for the fourth time in the series, Ben Stokes struck either side of tea and India closed on 264 for four – although Rishabh Pant’s latest injury saw him stretchered off.
Pant had made 37 when he was struck on the boot by a delivery from Chris Woakes and although he was sent for scans, the expectation is that India will be one batter short for the remainder of the contest.
