Not the fact that Kuldeep is more skilled than his predecessors and peers, some of whom are massive names like Bishen Singh Bedi and Anil Kumble, the Chinaman from Kanpur adds a distinct element to the game.
In an era of big hitting batsmen who literally stop at nothing to go for the kill, here’s a lad who is fighting by way of spin.
A left-arm chinaman, which this country has never seen or produced, Kuldeep Yadav succeeds thanks to his uncanny ability to read the batters’ minds.
The legend R. Ashwin depends on traditional off-spin skill, but Kuldeep Yadav has an uncommon level of wrist spin proficiency.
He stands out for his ability to deliver devious twists and subtle variations along with a sharp cricketing intelligence.
He is defined by his quiet confidence in his delivery of each ball, which makes it dance to his music, rather than by his flamboyant presence on the field. In a game where aggression and quickness are frequently exalted, Kuldeep stands out for his dexterity, accuracy, and remarkable mental reading of the batsman.
When it comes to one of India’s most under appreciated bowlers, what makes Kuldeep Yadav unique?
Let’s try and run into some factors that have, thus far, made him a standout?
Mastery of Wrist Spin
Kuldeep has remarkable wrist spin abilities that enable him to spin the ball in both directions with minute changes. He is unpredictable, which makes him a dangerous opponent for any batsman.
Decent Googlies
His capacity to deliver googlies that are challenging to interpret gives his bowling an additional degree of complexity. It’s often difficult for batsmen to accurately read his variations.
Cricketing Intelligence
Kuldeep is able to devise successful strategies due to his acute awareness of the game and the weaknesses of the batsmen. How does he do it?
It seems he’s unafraid to flight the deliveries, an inherent aspect of his game that gets him the big wickets.
Subtlety Over Flashiness
Kuldeep relies more on dexterity and finesse than on aggression and speed, in contrast to many other spinners. However, he’s upped the ante of speed in his deliveries to perhaps perplex batsmen more than ever.
All of which has only added to his ability to outmaneuver opponents with nuanced moves.
In the world of spin bowling, where small moves can make a big difference, Kuldeep Yadav stands out. Unlike others, he relies on subtle skills and a sharp mind that sees him bowl only after giving a thought.
His ability to spin the ball in unexpected ways has a quiet power. It shows us that you don’t need flashy moves to win – sometimes, the quiet ones can baffle and triumph in their own understated way.”
Kuldeep when made his debut in Indian colors weaved his magic instantly alongside Yuzi Chahal; together the duo stuck around and were firm favourites as far as white ball games were concerned.
With time, the batters started to pick him up, and suddenly in no time, Kuldeep was hammered left, right & center in the field.
We still remember those two games one at the Eden Gardens where Moeen Ali smashed him for 4 consecutive sixes and we can see from the face of Kuldeep that he was devasted seeing the domination from the batter.
The other game unfolded in the 2019 World Cup against England where England openers noticeably Roy and Bairstow just dismissed him from their presence in the first go.
Every analyst in the country and worldwide suddenly came out throwing bombshells at Kuldeep’s technique that his speed in the air was slow and the batters had started decoding his wrong’uns.
It felt like Kuldeep’s career was going downhill and the questions soared in every cricket fan’s mind “Is Kuldeep’s career going like what happened to Mendis and different other spinners who vanished after their initial successes?”
These questions surely would have resonated in Kuldeep’s mind as well but he was not going to stop. He had every ability to bounce back and even the greats like Late Shane Warne had a firm belief in him.
However, now the question is what are the changes Kuldeep made in his bowling that he’s again hogging all the limelight in the grandest carnival of cricket. So, now let’s have a look at what changes Kuldeep made:
Technical Adjustments
After his poor form, Kuldeep Yadav worked extensively on his bowling technique. He focused on refining his wrist position and trajectory, aiming for better control over his deliveries. All over the world, there was talk that Kuldeep’s pace was not working for him and the batters were finding it easy to read his variations from the wicket.
So, Kuldeep made a difference in his trajectory and speed. The renovated Kuldeep has more pace and a slightly lower trajectory and that is hindering the batters to make use of his flight and slow pace.
Working on variations
Kuldeep intensified his efforts to develop new variations while perfecting his existing ones. This included experimenting with different speeds, flight trajectories, and subtle changes in grip to add unpredictability to his bowling.
The new version of Kuldeep added a slider to his game, a quick slider that keeps the batters guessing and that also stops them from coming down the track and smashing him.
Physical Fitness
Recognizing the demands of modern cricket, Kuldeep underwent a rigorous fitness regimen. Strength training, agility drills, and endurance exercises became a vital part of his routine. Improved fitness not only enhanced his bowling but also contributed to his overall resilience on the field.
This made the new version of Kuldeep stronger and now with pace, he can add more revs on the ball, and that makes it very difficult for the batters to get underneath it.
Mental Conditioning
Facing setbacks led Kuldeep to focus on mental resilience. Sports psychologists and mental conditioning experts were consulted to help him cope with the pressures of international cricket.
He worked on concentration, staying calm under pressure, and handling expectations, crucial aspects for any high-level athlete.
We are aware of the fact that being a spinner in the modern game is quite difficult, more so for a wrist spinner.
But Kuldeep, who contests with resilience, has shown unbothered despite being attacked by a batter. Thus far, his wickets tally stands at 5 in the 2023 World Cup as another big game looms against Bangladesh.