Kuldeep Yadav exposed the weaknesses of the Pakistan middle order against quality left-arm wrist spin with a probing spell that fetched him five wickets and helped India record a massive 228-run win against the arch-rivals in their Super Four match of the Asia Cup in Colombo on Monday.
With those figures, Kuldeep also kept his dominance among India’s leading wicket-taker in the ODIs this year, picking up 27 wickets in 14 ODIs, at an average of 16.18. It was his second fifer in international cricket, and the first against the Men-in-Green, a feat that the Kanpur cricketer said he will cherish when he hangs his boots.
“When you pick up five wickets against a big team, it really boosts your morale. ‘Kabhi jab cricket band karunga, retire hounga ye hamesha yaad rahega ki Pakistan ke against 5 wicket liye the (When I retire I will always cherish this fifer against Pakistan),” he said at the post-match conference.
“The side that plays spin well and if you perform against them, it motivates you a lot,” he added.
Kuldeep has been in red-hot form ever since he returned from an injury lay-off that required him to undergo a knee surgery and subsequently had to make a lot of technical adjustments in his bowling, including a straightened run-up.
“I am just thinking about bowling in the good length and focusing on rhythm, that is more important for me, bit more aggressive as well, hitting the stumps every time, that’s really helping me a lot,” Kuldeep said, while revealing the secret behind his success.
“I have been playing regularly for the past one and half years after my knee surgery. Everyone now knows that my run-up has gone a bit straight. There is more aggression in the rhythm, approach is good and maybe earlier my bowling hand used to fall a lot, it’s under control and it is now facing more towards the batsman.”
“At the same time, I have not lost my spin and drift, it is still there and my pace has also gone up that’s why it is helping me. For some time now I only think about hitting those good lengths consistently, it gives you more chances of taking wickets,” he further explained.
Former West Indies pacer-turned-commentator Ian Bishop lavished praise on Kuldeep after his fifer. The West Indian wrote on X (formerly Twitter) how Kuldeep’s technical adjustments have made him a much different proposition.
“After watching Kuldeep Yadav closely in the last couple of months, it’s no surprise that he has picked up this 5 wkt haul. His technical bowling adjustments have made him a much different proposition,” Ian Bishop wrote.
In the run-up to the ICC World Cup in India in a month’s time, Kuldeep’s form will definitely please the team management as the Men-in-Blue hopes to win the world title for a third time.