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Strikers stint sparks Sodhi's passion

Kiwi leg-spinner lights up Big Bash with six-wicket haul as unexpected Adelaide call-up puts the fizz back in Ish Sodhi's game

Six-wicket sensation Ish Sodhi says he is "forever grateful" for his brief stint at the Adelaide Strikers that has "rejuvenated" his love for cricket.

The New Zealand leg-spinner recorded the second-best bowling figures in the KFC Big Bash League's short history when he ended the Sydney Thunder's title defence on Wednesday with a remarkable 6-11 from 3.3 overs.

Sodhi was a late call-up to the Strikers squad as a replacement for injured England paceman Chris Jordan, and the experience is one the Black Caps tweaker will never forget.

Sodhi takes six to sink Thunder

"(Head coach) Jason Gillespie was one of my heroes growing up in that era playing cricket," Sodhi told cricket.com.au.

"And Hodgey is one of the best captains I've ever had. Really positive but really relaxed at the same time.

"It's been exceptional. I've loved every minute of being over here.

"It was pretty unexpected but they've rejuvenated my love for the game.

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"I'm leaving a lot happier and lot more content with the game than I was when I got here."

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It has been a whirlwind 12 months for the 24-year-old.

In February 2016, Sodhi produced 2-31 in a man-of-the-match performance in Hamilton to lift New Zealand to a 2-1 series win over Australia and retain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.

Consistent Dunk hammers half-century

Sodhi then starred for the Black Caps in the World T20 in India a month later, stunning the hosts and tournament favourites his first match with figures of 3-18 including the big wicket of Virat Kohli.

He then returned to Test cricket where he claimed eight wickets in two matches in Zimbabwe in July-August, but missed out on selection in the following series against the Proteas in South Africa.

Sodhi played the first Test in India in September but was dropped for the remaining two matches as Kohli harvested his revenge on the Black Caps with a series whitewash.

Following the Test series the leggie played the first and final two matches of the five-match ODI series but was then overlooked for New Zealand's home summer, which included two Tests against Pakistan, an ODI series in Australia and three one-dayers against Bangladesh.

However, his comeback to the Black Caps came in the T20 format where he claimed five wickets in a brace of games against Bangladesh in what was the first step to rekindling his passion for cricket at the elite level.

"I had a few setbacks prior to those T20s with New Zealand in Mount Maunganui," Sodhi said.

"It's easy to dig yourself into a hole in this game.

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"I've played nine or ten months straight now and there are times you don't back yourself and times when you have to try to give yourself some kind of positivity and I got it with the Strikers and I'm forever grateful for that."

Sodhi's haul of 6-11, after conceding 0-8 in his first over, sits only behind Sri Lanka's slinging speedster Lasith Malinga and his haul of 6-7 for the Melbourne Stars against the Scorchers in Perth in December 2012.

"I was just out here trying to do a job for the boys who had me over here and brought me out of nowhere," Sodhi said.

"It's nice to be wanted by them and nice to give them a win but I wish I could have done it in the last two games."

Of his six wickets, he says the dismissal of towering West Indies allrounder Carlos Brathwaite – bowled by a googly for one – was his favourite.

Thunder star Brathwaite put in a spin

"I kind of planned it before he came out that I was going to try and bowl a wrong 'un to him first ball," he said.

"It looks a little bit different to what happened. It worked out in the end and I saw the wicket was turning and I felt I could try to spin the ball a little bit harder."

Now Sodhi returns home to play provincial cricket but and while he relishes the T20 format he wants to take his new found love of cricket and stellar form to the next level.

"I love getting in the battle (in T20 cricket)," Sodhi said. "I love when the batsmen have to attack – there's only one way really.

"It's definitely something I want to take into the longer format.

"I feel like I still have a lot to offer in the longer formats.

"The way I bowled today I feel like I can bowl in any format and still be successful.

"I just need to take that confidence on and hopefully do it for Northern Districts when I get back home."