Star India spinner Kuldeep Yadav credited Indian skipper Rohit Sharma for helping him find his rhythm and improve as a left-arm wrist-spinner as well. Kuldeep recalled his time at the NCA a few years ago, where Rohit gave him valuable advice. As per the Indian captain, Kuldeep’s trajectory wasn’t flat enough to hurry the batters. He wanted Kuldeep to work on his ability to push through the crease and force the batters to read him off the hand as well. If they wanted to read Kuldeep off the pitch, Rohit felt the pace should be quick enough to beat the batter’s defence as well.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Kuldeep Yadav said, “He was there at the NCA when I was there rehabbing and then bowling. He would say, ‘When I stand at slip, I feel the batsmen have enough time to play you off the pitch.’ He said I needed to get more energy through the action and that the batsman shouldn’t get the time to play me. If the batter thinks he can get onto the back foot to play me off the pitch, the ball should rush to hit the stumps or the pad.”
Kuldeep Yadav also claimed that Rohit Sharma scolding the players as heard on the stump mic is just the way he shows he cares. He also thanked Rohit for backing him and also claimed that he is giving him tips to improve his batting. Notably, Kuldeep Yadav not only picked 19 wickets but also made some handy contributions with the bat in the Test series as well.
“The team management told me I have a lot of batting skills but didn’t put any pressure on me that I had to score runs. If I can contribute to the team in crucial situations in Test cricket, then the game changes, Vicky Paaji (Vikram Rathour) made me bat a lot,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav also accepted that he found it a bit challenging to bowl to England opener Zak Crawley during the recently
concluded five-match Test series between the two teams. Kuldeep shared how Crawley played conventional shots and ensured none of his strokes were high-risk as well.
“In my opinion, Zak Crawley was the best player of spin in the England team. He hardly played any sweeps or reverse-sweeps, he was playing proper cricketing shots so it was challenging to get him out. Twice I got him out, in Ranchi and Dharamsala, and those were my best balls,” Kuldeep Yadav concluded. “The way Joe Root batted in the last two games, that’s his style. But as an opposition player you want a player like Joe Root to play in an attacking fashion so that you have a better chance to get him out because he can play a long innings.”
