For India’s big contributor on their recent success in Australia, RP Singh’s first Test at home didn’t go quite the way he would have liked.

Despite making his Test debut two years ago, the game in Chennai happened to be the first ever at home for RP. In extremely trying conditions, he ended up wicketless on a pitch that didn’t have too much for the seamers, and absolutely nothing for those who depend on swing.

What it did do however, was give RP a clearer picture of what it means to bowl in Test cricket in Indian conditions, especially after having played in England, where conditions help swing, and Australia, where they assist pace and bounce. “You saw the match, you decide,” he said, speaking to The Indian Express about his bowling in Chennai. “Just look at the conditions that were available, the heat and humidity. It wasn’t easy out there,” he added.

The Chennai weather —39 degrees and 87 per cent humidity — was thoroughly challenging. The complete absence of a breeze meant swinging the ball for long periods was out of the question as well.

“Not just him (RP), these were testing conditions for all those who played,” India’s bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad said. “RP has been a top performer in India’s domestic circuit. The conditions in Chennai were just difficult.”

Prasad seems to have worked wonders with India’s pace bowling arsenal and of the lot, RP’s rise has clearly been the most impressive.

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