Left-arm seamer Beuran Hendricks’ return to T20I cricket was marked by a Player of the Match performance in the Proteas’ series-deciding victory over India at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Hendricks had not played T20I cricket in seven months prior to Sunday’s inclusion in the XI ahead of fast bowler Anrich Nortje.

He claimed figures of 2-14 in four overs, which included the important dismissals of opener Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Krunal Pandya. The former was undone by a challenging angle and the latter a taxing line. Both were caught behind the wicket.

‘It was one of those days where things worked for me, so I used my opportunity well. I have put in a lot of hard work behind the scenes, so I am happy with that,’ said Hendricks.

‘Normally I don’t look at the pitch while warming up. Consistency is the key. Overhead conditions probably meant some swing, so once I assessed that, there was no real need to change much.’

The 29-year-old Hendricks was a late addition to the Mumbai Indians’ squad for the 2019 Indian Premier League, but did not play a match. He was later added to the Proteas squad for the World Cup in the wake of fast bowler Dale Steyn’s injury, and played against Afghanistan and the West Indies.

Photo: Gallo Images