Kuldeep Yadav, the standout bowler for Team India on Day 1 of the Dharamsala Test against England, disrupted England’s batting plans by claiming an impressive five-wicket haul. His skillful performance played a pivotal role in restricting the visitors to a modest total of 218 after they chose to bat first.
After undergoing knee surgery in 2021, the 29-year-old expressed his eagerness to enhance his skills. When discussing the modifications to his bowling post-recovery, Kuldeep shared with Jio Cinema:
“I am enjoying my game. To be honest, I put a lot of hard work after my surgery in 2021. It’s just the reward I am getting now. I worked on my pace, it’s very important when you play a Test match in India. I am just enjoying my bowling.”
Kuldeep acknowledged that during the early stages of his career, he tended to overanalyze situations. However, he highlighted his growth as a bowler, emphasizing his focus on hitting precise areas. Expressing satisfaction in dismissing Zak Crawley, a proficient spinner player, he mentioned:
“I liked the Zak Crawley wicket. He batted really well throughout the series, a good player of spin. It’s important not to think about the wicket, and I am someone who relies on my skill and variation in length. Not to think about what the wicket is going to produce. Just focus on the areas.”
“When I was very young, I used to overthink how to get the batter out. Slowly, slowly I matured as a spinner and focused on length.”
Notably, Kuldeep Yadav reached a significant milestone on Day 1, becoming the quickest to secure 50 Test wickets in terms of deliveries. He accomplished this feat in just 1871 balls.
“Says a few things on the field” -Kuldeep Yadav on gaining insights from Ravichandran Ashwin’s expertise
Kuldeep Yadav mentioned that sharing the field with seasoned spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been beneficial, with the experienced player offering guidance during crucial moments.
He said:
“Ash (Ashwin) bhai says a few things on the field, gives a few ideas.”
Remarkably, Kuldeep Yadav requested Ashwin to take charge of the team as they headed back to the pavilion after the first innings, acknowledging the significance of it being the senior player’s 100th Test match.
He also passed the ball to Ashwin. Kuldeep revealed that the off-spinner returned it, mentioning he had 35 more. Reflecting on the incident, he elaborated:
“Ash Bhai is very kind & humble, he is such a lovely guy, told me that he has 35 five-wicket haul so you can keep it.”
Kuldeep Yadav secured a five-wicket haul, and Ravichandran Ashwin claimed four wickets as the two spinners dominated on the first day.
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