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Paceman Ben Hilfenhaus credits an off-season of technical and physical remedial work for the first five-wicket Test haul of his career after almost a year-long absence.
The Tasmanian swing bowler took 5-75 on Wednesday to swing the momentum Australia’s way, sparking a collapse by India from 2-214 to 282 all out in the first Test at the MCG.
It was a huge improvement on the 28-year-old’s most recent previous Test performances.
They were in last summer’s Ashes series, when he lacked penetration and took just seven wickets in four Tests at an average of 59.28.
He had started his Test career in a rush, claiming 29 wickets in his first eight Tests, in 2009, including 22 in five Tests in England.
But a knee injury late that year and a subsequent form downturn resulted in his axing from the Test side in January this year.
Hilfenhaus said the time since had been spent fixing technical issues, aided by Tasmania bowling coach Ali de Winter, among them correcting subtle changes in his action which followed his injury.
He also adjusted his angle of delivery to maximise the value of his swing.
Along with fitness work, the technical alterations helped him rediscover the pace he had lost before his demotion.
“Obviously a fair bit of hard work went into pre-season, a fair bit of time in the gym and as I said on the technical side of things,” Hilfenhaus said.
“I guess it’s quite rewarding to be back in the baggy green.
“Hopefully I can just keep working away at that and continue to get better.”
Hilfenhaus said he never lost faith he would return to the national side, as his swing prowess gave him a point of difference from most competitors.
“I just knew that hopefully one day if I kept doing the things I can control and fixed the things I needed to fix, that I could always put my hand up there and say that I’m a swing bowler,” he said.
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