'Buck up and do the best in next couple of months' - Dinesh Karthik in support of Kuldeep Yadav

The England batsmen decimated Kuldeep Yadav in the second ODI. The left-arm Chinaman bowler was smashed for 8 sixes in the second rubber as the likes of Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow tore him apart. Kuldeep conceded 84 runs in his 10 overs and failed to pick up even a single wicket.

And now, Dinesh Karthik has come out in support of Kuldeep Yadav. Adding that Kuldeep has had a really tough time, Karthik stated that the spinner has sat out of the Indian side for a long time and has barely played a couple of games.

Karthik also added that ups and downs are common for an international cricketer. Karthik further opined that Kuldeep has got an important two months ahead of him, as the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is coming up and Kuldeep needs to perform well.

“Kuldeep, personally, the poor guy has had a tough time. He’s been sitting out for a long time. He comes in, he’s had a couple of games here. It’s really not gone his way. But these things happen to international cricketers. He needs to chin up, get stronger. He’s got a couple of very important months not only in his red-ball career but also for his white-ball career in the form of IPL so he needs to do really well. Buck up and do the best in the next couple of months,” said Karthik in a chat with Sky Cricket.

It was one of those days when it was hard to stop Ben Stokes: Dinesh Karthik

Karthik also added that when Ben Stokes came out to bat in the second ODI, Shardul Thakur should have bowled instead of Krunal Pandya. Adding that Shardul has the knack of picking up wickets, Karthik stated that Stokes has the potential to take any left-arm spinner in the world down. The 35-year-old concluded by stating that it was very difficult to stop Ben Stokes in the second ODI.

“When Ben Stokes walked in, I think Krunal Pandya hadn’t bowled. I’d felt that at that stage, maybe Shardul Thakur could have been brought for an over because he has this ability to pick up wickets, but he (Kohli) went for Krunal Pandya. But the match-up is such that if Stokes gets going, forget Krunal Pandya. Any left-arm spinner in the world, he (Stokes) takes them down. It was one of those days where it was hard to stop Stokes. It was almost as if every shot that he played, he was looking to hit a six,” concluded Karthik.