Mutual admiration society between Brad Hogg and Kuldeep Yadav

Former Australian spinner Brad Hogg has revealed that he has been sharing his experience with fellow chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav. Both spinners were a part of Kolkata Knight Riders for a couple of years where they developed a close bond. Kuldeep Yadav has been in fine form in the ongoing ODI series against Australia and also picked a hattrick in the second ODI becoming just the third Indian player to achieve the feat.

Hogg doesn’t want to reveal the details

Hogg, who is a part of the commentary panel for the series, didn’t open about what inputs he has been sharing with the young spinner as he preferred personal bonding over national allegiance. Kuldeep has troubled top batsmen Warner and Smith in the series and has so far accounted for 7 wickets from 3 games. He was, however, rested for the fourth game in Bengaluru.

“I’m not going to go into it because for me it’s confidential between me and Kuldeep. We’re close mates and he’s confided in me so it’d be pretty rude for me to take that information and give it away,” Hogg told cricket.com.au when asked about what advice he has been giving the young Indian left-arm bowler.

Hoggs love for the chinaman art

Hogg said that because chinaman bowling is not common at all in cricket, he wants more and more young boys to pick the art hence share as much as he can. “We bowl the same art and it’s not an art that’s prevalent in international cricket. So as much as I’d like to talk to some of my former teammates about it, the art is more important.

“I want that art to succeed and I want other kids to be bowling it. And we’re seeing a lot more kids bowling it and coming through the ranks.

“So I’m caught in between a rock and a hard place a little bit, I guess.”

Despite being 46-year old, Hogg is still plying his trade in a few T20 leagues around the world. In the KKR set-up, Hogg is looked at a senior who plays the mentor’s role for the young players. The Western Australia played for the Melbourne Renegades in the last Big Bash League edition.

Mutual Admiration society

Hogg praised Kuldeep as the 22-year-old respects his elders a lot. The Indian addresses Hogg as ‘Sir’ despite the Australian asking him to call just ‘Hoggy’. The 46-year old mentioned that both spinners communicate on WhatsApp a lot and likes Kuldeep as a person.

“It’s quite funny, we WhatsApp each other and he keeps calling me ‘Sir’ and I keep saying ‘mate, just call me Hoggy. And that’s a difference in cultures and his upbringing,” he said.

He added: “He shows a lot of respect for his elders and in his own right he’s established himself. The thing about Kuldeep I like is it’s not just his bowling, it’s his personality and him as a person.”