Image Source- AP
Kuldeep Yadav attributed his sustained success in ODIs
to his aggressive rhythm and technical improvements to his bowling motion. The
left-arm wristspinner, who notched up a five-for against Pakistan in the men’s
Asia Cup Super Four match in Colombo, is India’s top wicket-taker in men’s ODIs
in 2023 with 27 scalps.
“It’s been over one and a half years since I had
surgery,” Kuldeep said after India’s biggest win against Pakistan in the
format. “The run-up has become straighter. The rhythm has become
aggressive. The approach is nice. Maybe my hand used to fall over but that is
well in control and faces the batter more.
“At the same time, I did not lose my spin and
drift, and my pace increased – all of which helped me. If a legspinner lands
the ball on a good length, there are more chances of [him] picking up a wicket.
If you are a legspinner, you tend to bowl a lot of loose balls but if you
become consistent, you can succeed.”
As Kuldeep confused the opposing batsmen, the flight
and drift—qualities he did not want to lose in his revamped action—as well as
the combination of a regular legbreak and a googly were on display.
“After my surgery, I was out of the game for
about five months,” he said. “There were a lot of people who
suggested a lot of things, but I did not want to lose my zip, nip or drift.
After my three-month rehab post-surgery, my physio – Ashish Koushik at the NCA
– suggested that I must do something [to my action] to reduce load on my knee.
“I worked on making my rhythm faster, bowled it
in a practice game in Kanpur and found that the batsmen found it difficult [to
face]. Then I returned to the Indian team for the tour of the West Indies but
couldn’t find my rhythm. Even in the IPL, my rhythm was breaking. It took about
six to seven months for [the new action] to work.”
Kuldeep, who was “very happy” with how his
past one and a half years have gone, said his maiden ODI five-for against
Pakistan was a “big deal.”
“When I retire, I will always remember that I
picked up five wickets against Pakistan. It is a big deal because they are a
team that plays spin well. If you do well against a side that plays spin well
in the subcontinent, it motivates you.”