North Sound (Antigua), June 23
After his superb 3-19 played a key role in India’s comprehensive 50-run win over Bangladesh in their second Super Eights game of 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav said he knew conditions well and was focused on varying his pace and length in outclassing batters.
Kuldeep had made his international white-ball debut in the Caribbean in 2017 and after not playing Group A matches in pace-friendly New York, he was brought back for the Super Eights, where he has now taken five wickets across two games.
"I was helping out the team-mates and carrying the drinks (in New York). That is more like playing as a 12th man. I would have loved to bowl there. But it's more like an Australian sort of wicket.
"But here I made my T20 (and) ODI debut back in 2017. I knew the conditions very well, just the length and trying to vary my pace. So it's perfect for spinners to come here and bowl," said Kuldeep in the post-match press conference.
Against Bangladesh, Kuldeep bowled a wonderful spell on a pitch having bounce and bit of grip to trap Tanzid Hasan lbw on the back leg via a stunning googly. He then got a leg-break to turn in slightly to go past a slog-sweeping Towhid Hridoy and trap him lbw. He completed his three-fer by forcing Shakib Al Hasan to mistime a loft to cover.
"It's very important to play every game, take every game as a normal game. Now obviously we playing at Super Eight, obviously we have a lot of pressure as well. We're going to play Australia in a couple of days' time.
"The wickets are good for spinners, as you have seen in the last few games as well. Nothing changes. I've got four overs to bowl and that was my plan. Just sticking with the length and varying my pace. For me it's nice," added Kuldeep.
He also touched upon that despite the cross breeze challenging his bowling from the Sir Andy Roberts End, it was important for him to nail his lengths and read what the batters might do, instead about thinking how wind can hamper him.
"It was difficult from this end as a spinner because my rhythm is like, not like running rhythm, it's more like a one step and then aggressive. I didn't think about the wind, just the length matters. And obviously reading the batter what they are expecting from me, just reading one step ahead, what they are thinking.
"So just keeping this in mind and changing the line and length, and obviously they were targeting the windy side, and just reacting to what they are doing. When the other team needs 10 runs or 12 runs per over and the batter's going against you my plan is to just stick with the length.
“Obviously when they try to attack you, if you have a proper plan against them and you are bowling in probably the better length, you have maximum chances of getting the batter out. So that is my thinking, not thinking I have to get him out, just the length," he concluded.
