Former India player turned commentator Cheteshwar Pujara has applauded Kuldeep Yadav for bowling a stunning spell on Day 1 of the first Test against South Africa. He also added that the left-arm wrist-spinner stuck to his strength, which is different from Ravindra Jadeja’s as well. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav registered figures of 2/36 in 14 overs as India bowled South Africa out for 159 in their first innings in Kolkata on Friday, November 14 as well.
During a discussion on Star Sports, Pujara said, “His pace. He is bowling slow and flighting the ball. He is not getting scared even if runs are being scored against him. If the opposition batted aggressively against him, he used to go slightly on the back foot. However, if you see his bowling in the last two years, whether with the white ball or the red ball, that confidence is being seen. Even if runs are scored, he bowls the next ball for a wicket.”
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“He doesn’t bowl to escape. That’s been a major shift in his mindset. That comes with confidence. He has grown in confidence a lot in the last one or two years. He has understood his bowling very well. His strength is different from Ravindra Jadeja. Kuldeep Yadav is a wrist-spinner. So he bowls the ball slow and gives more flight. In between, he is varying his pace, and that is proving to be his strength, especially in Test cricket,” he further added.
Speaking on Star Sports, Aakash Chopra also added that Kuldeep Yadav would have been desperate to claim wickets earlier as he was the third spinner.
“Pujara talked about confidence, and you also get confidence from whether you are the first or third spinner. He was the third spinner for a very long time. You are desperate when you are the third spinner, that whenever you get to bowl, you will be the third, and you will get fewer overs, and if you don’t pick up wickets after that, you will be dropped for the next match. However, now when you are seeing Kuldeep, although he didn’t play at all in England, when he is playing, he is realizing that the captain throws the ball to him first because he is the best spinner in this team if there is no help from the pitch. He is trying to beat batters in the air, and that’s commendable,” he concluded.
