Your career gets a boost if you gain some experience from senior players: Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav has been on a song over the last few months. The chinaman has displayed tremendous form whether it was against Sri Lanka or in the ongoing series with Australia. He along with Yuzvendra Chahal has wreck havoc in the opposition camp as together, both the wrist spinners have managed to seize the opportunity every time.

While there may still be uncertainty over their spots considering the return of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, Yadav stated that he wasn’t thinking about it. Ahead of the second T20 international against Australia, he ruled out having any aspirations of replacing the legendary duo as he labelled them consistent performers.

“I don’t think of that far. Both Ash and Jaddu bhai have been consistent performers for India in all the three formats. There’s no question of thinking about replacing them,” Yadav told reporters on the eve of the second T20I. “We are very young, and there’s a lot of cricket left in us. It has never cross my mind,” the 22-year-old added.

I’m not a mystery bowler

Kuldeep negated himself as a mystery bowler. He expressed that as long as he continued to bowl in the right areas and have a variety of deliveries in his arsenal, he will get wickets.

“I’m not a mystery bowler who will bowl from different hands. Obviously after two-three years they will pick you and it becomes easy for them. For me, if your basics like alignment and accuracy are right, it becomes easy for you.”

“For me it does not matter if someone tries to pick you from video analysis. If you bowl in right areas, have good variations, landing on the spot and beating the batsmen in air, no matter how many times you see the video it won’t matter,” Yadav, who credited the Aussie duo of Brad Hogg and Shane Warne for his transformation, said.

Underlining the need to do the basics right, the chinaman stressed on not trying to do too many things and sticking to your strengths. He said: “In T20s you can get wickets anytime as batsmen always try to hit you out of the park. Your basics need to be right without thinking much about the batsmen. If you focus on your strengths, you become more successful.”

Kuldeep credited veteran Aussie chinaman Hogg and described bowling with him for KKR in the IPL as a learning curve. He also admitted that he was in constant touch with idol Warne.

“Both play a very important role in my career. I’ve followed Shane Warne since childhood. He’s my idol. My life will be a success if I could achieve 50 per cent of what he has achieved. I stay in touch with him,” the youngster added.

“I’ve been with Hogg in KKR for two seasons, I’ve learnt a lot from him as well. I still talk to Hogg on my bowling. It’s very important when you talk with senior players who have played a lot and legends in their games. Your career gets a boost even if you gain some experience from them,” he further mentioned.

On what guidance he received from his idol Warne, Yadav said: “His wrist work, flight and drift, and the way he deceives any batsman. I will be successful if I get to learn something from him.” Asked about Hogg’s contribution, Yadav said he had picked up “flipper or wrong one” from the fellow chinaman.

“He’s 46 now with a career span of over 23 years. For me, it’s just the start of my career. It’s great to learn from him. All these small things are useful for me.”

Partnership with Chahal

Kuldeep perceived that the wrist spinning duo made a formidable pair in the middle as they have known each other for a long time. “I have a very good partnership going on with Chahal. We know each other for five years. It’s easy to understand each other’s plans. It helps on the ground if we keep talking to each others. There’s a good understanding going on between us. We bowl in partnerships in a match as well, the difference is evident,” the Uttar Pradesh lad stated.

“We talk about the wicket, whether it’s fast or skids. I ask him how the ball is responding on a particular wicket, and things like that. It’s very useful for me and the team.” said Yadav as he described how both the spinners compliment each other.