His poor season for KKR notwithstanding, wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav is confident of playing big role in India's World Cup campaign
Kuldeep Yadav
Wrsit spinner Kuldeep Yadav forms an effective spin combination with leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and the two have complemented each other well. However, there are concerns that Kuldeep Yadav's poor form for Kolkata Knight Riders in the recently-concluded IPL may adversely affect his confidence going into the World Cup.
The bowler, however, feels that his IPL performance will have no bearing in the World Cup. "See, the IPL is a T20 format which is quite different from the 50-over World Cup. I may not have got much success for KKR, but then, it was not like I was bowling poorly, like bowling long hops or full tosses. I was bowling with my usual rhythm. It's just that the KKR team management thought I was not fitting in their plans.
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Eden track flat
"Moreover, there were flat pitches at our home ground [Eden Gardens] and the boundaries too were short. It will be different in England. The teams will be different, the teammates will be different. Thus, I am confident of playing a major role for Team India in the World Cup," a confident Kuldeep said about his role in the team.
When asked if he thought the likely warm English summer will help his type of bowling, he said: "I feel it is advantage to bowl on pitches abroad which have more bounce and speed. It helps a bowler like me.
"Moreover, I have bowled with success on the previous England tour and that will keep me in good stead." He said that playing under the guidance and supervision of senior and world-class players like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni has its benefits. "Dhoni bhai is a great help from behind the wickets. He keeps guiding us and that helps a lot. He can read a batsman's mind and guides us accordingly.
Kohli encouraging
"Virat bhai is such an aggressive leader. He never gets unnerved when the bowlers go for runs. He encourages us to keep attacking. That really makes a big difference to attacking bowlers like Chahal and me." India have won the World Cup twice, and that, Kuldeep feels, gives the current team a lot of encouragement and confidence to go for the third title. "No doubt 2019 CWC is a big challenge. But the wins in 1983 and 2011 give us the confidence and belief to take up the challenge in all earnest," Kuldeep said.
He concluded by saying that England, Australia and Pakistan are the teams which India need to be vary of. "Though no team in the World Cup can be taken lightly, I feel the hosts, the defending champions and our rivals Pakistan are the teams that can pose the greatest challenge to India," he signed off.
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