Team India spinner Kuldeep Yadav has had a rollercoaster ride so far in international cricket. Ever since breaking into the Indian team after the ICC Champions Trophy in 2017, the leg-spinner has enjoyed good success in the India jersey. Recently, Kuldeep picked two cricketers who had big influences on his career.
The cricketer from Uttar Pradesh rose to prominence with his stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League. Kuldeep Yadav played a significant role in helping the Knight Riders win the title for the second time in 2014.
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During his stint, Kuldeep worked in close quarters with Gautam Gambhir, who was then the skipper of Kolkata. In a recent chat with the official website of Kolkata Knight Riders, Kuldeep picked two personalities who had a major influence in his career.
“Gauti bhai had a huge influence on me from the start of my stint at KKR. He always spoke to me a lot. Not only during the time he was at KKR, but even after that, over these last two years. He always kept me motivated. When you get that kind of confidence from your captain, it becomes a huge plus point for any player. It helps you remain confident, and that translates into good performances,” Kuldeep Yadav said.Â
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Adding further, Kuldeep Yadav also spoke highly of Pakistan legend and former Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach Wasim Akram. The 25-year-old spinner opened up on how Akram made him mentally strong making him understand different situations. Kuldeep also revealed that he tried to pick the brains of Akram while he was with Kolkata.
“Wasim sir used to like me a lot too. He didn’t speak much about bowling, but he prepared me a lot in terms of mentally taking on the game. He prepared me to take on different situations in different ways and taught me how to react when batsmen put you under pressure. When he was at KKR, I used to sit with him and pick his brain a lot. I used to sit next to him in the dugout during matches and ask questions about real-time situations,” Kuldeep concluded.Â
So far, Kuldeep Yadav has accumulated 39 wickets from 40 matches. Meanwhile, he witnessed a dip in his form last year and has been in and out of the team. With the ICC T20 World Cup looming ahead, Kuldeep will hope to prove his worth in whatever matches he plays and cement a berth for the mega event.
