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Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav has the most ODI wickets (33) this year among the teams at the World Cup. Repeated ousters and a persistent knee injury have dented his career in the past, and Kuldeep had to reinvent his style to become the bowler he is now.
During an IPL 2019 league stage match, Moeen Ali took Kuldeep Yadav to the cleaners in the 15th over of the innings. Kuldeep did dismiss Moeen, but not before conceding 27 in the over. A dejected Kuldeep was caught teary-eyed on camera during a drinks break.
The onslaught pushed him near the rock bottom of his career, which was already in a downward spiral. He featured in only 14 IPL matches for the Kolkata Knight Riders across 2019 and 2020 before missing the 2021 season: he benched in the first half before an injured knee ruled him out in the second.
In between the beating he took against Moeen and this injury, Kuldeep had a quiet 2019 World Cup for India, managing only six scalps from seven games at an underwhelming average of 56.16. Once an indispensable cog of India’s bowling plans, forming the famous ‘Kul-Cha’ combo alongside Yuzvendra Chahal under Virat Kohli, Kuldeep slipped in the pecking order. Opportunities became sporadic.
He made subtle adjustments to his bowling technique during his rehabilitation process at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. He ramped up the pace and straightened the run-up, ensuring his bowling arm moved towards the batter in the follow-through rather than falling away.
Earlier, he would fall back upon seam-up fast to thwart attacks. Now, he has a bag of tricks in his arsenal. The zip, the turn and the drift are all back.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Kuldeep’s childhood coach Kapil Pandey recalled his pupil’s struggles: “He kept working hard. I have seen him training from 6 pm to 12. Sometimes, I had to pull him out of the ground. He was working on his length, on his speed as he was instructed by the Indian team management.”
The Delhi Capitals acquired Kuldeep in IPL 2022 after KKR parted ways with him. The move proved to be a blessing in disguise for him. The management’s reassurance boosted his confidence as they promised to play him every game. He repaid their faith, picking 21 wickets from 14 outings. There was a tinge of poetic justice as the four-wicket haul against KKR was his best performance of the season. It was a matter of time before he would translate his form and confidence in the international arena.
During an ODI in the West Indies in 2023, Kuldeep claimed 4-6 – the best ever men’s ODI figures by an Indian spinner in the Caribbean – in three overs, two of which were maidens. Of course, the performance came against a side that failed to qualify for the World Cup.
Kuldeep’s 2023 Asia Cup returns, however, should clear all the doubts circling his rediscovered form. Virtually unplayable at times, he annihilated Pakistan in a Super Fours face-off with a five-for. Chasing 357 in 50 overs, Pakistan found it hard to pick Kuldeep off his hand. That they frequently tried to play him across the line to counter his spin was a testament to their uncomfortable stay at the crease.
Against Sri Lanka, India defended 213 runs courtesy of Kuldeep’s 4-43. He tossed up a ball to have Sadeera Samarawickrama stumped. He used the googly judiciously. The twin match-winning efforts earned him the Player of the Series award.
In the middle overs at the World Cup, Kuldeep will help India retain the edge after two, or all three, of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj are done with the new ball. He can become India’s main strike bowler in the middle overs. A commodity as rare as left-arm wrist-spin is gold dust for any team especially when going to a world event.
