3 reasons why Kuldeep Sen moving from Madhya Pradesh to Tamil Nadu is the right move
Major news doing the rounds in the Indian domestic circles has been the move of talented pacer Kuldeep Sen from Madhya Pradesh to Tamil Nadu as a guest player for the 2023-24 season.
The 26-year-old has reportedly been cleared to represent Tamil Nadu post-recovery from a back injury for which the pacer is currently with the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
Kuldeep, who made his debut for Madhya Pradesh in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy, has been among the most impressive bowlers, particularly in the red-ball format.
He has also been part of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) setup since the 2022 season and was also part of the Indian ODI team that took on Bangladesh last year. Kuldeep played in the first game before being ruled out of the following two matches due to a back injury.
Although the youngster isn't part of the revived Buchi Babu tournament played between the local sides from Tamil Nadu, the state team hopes for Kuldeep Sen to add significant value during the domestic season.
With that in mind, let us look at three reasons why Kuldeep Sen moving from Madhya Pradesh to Tamil Nadu is the right move.
#1 An out-and-out pacer to help Tamil Nadu break their Ranji Trophy drought
The primary reason behind Tamil Nadu vying for Kuldeep Sen was their desperate need for an out-an-out pacer to help break their Ranji Trophy title drought. Despite consistently producing star players, the side has clinched only two Ranji titles in their history and none since 1987-88, a good 36 years back.
Tamil Nadu has also shockingly not qualified for the knockout stages of the Ranji Trophy since the 2016-17 season. Their lack of an express pacer was identified as the crucial missing piece, prompting new head coach Sulakshan Kulkarni to bring Kuldeep Sen into the Tamil Nadu setup.
The 26-year-old pacer boasts an excellent first-class record, with 52 wickets in only 17 games at an average of 28.40, including two five-wicket hauls. Kuldeep's ability to bowl quickly and generate steep bounce should bolster the Tamil Nadu squad full of medium-pacers and spinners.
Aside from his impressive overall red-ball numbers, the express pacer also showcased his ability to perform in big matches in the Irani Cup last year. Playing for the Rest of India (ROI), Kuldeep picked up the vital scalp of Cheteshwar Pujara in the first innings to help dismiss Saurashtra for a dismal 98.
The lanky pacer finished the innings with three wickets and returned to pick up a five-fer in the second essay to register match figures of 8/135 to propel ROI to a crushing eight-wicket win.
#2 Kuldeep Sen's versatility in 50-over cricket will add value to the Tamil Nadu attack
While pace is considered the most valuable commodity in all forms of cricket, the consistency and versatility to go along with speed make for a world-class fast bowler.
In that sense, Kuldeep Sen possesses each of those qualities. The 26-year-old boasts an outstanding List-A record, with 27 wickets in 14 games at an average of less than 23. The express pacer also has two four-wicket and one five-wicket haul with a terrific strike rate of 23.9 balls per wicket.
The right-handed pacer made headlines with his tremendous showing for India A against New Zealand A in the first 50-over match last year, with figures of 3/30 in seven overs.
He followed that with a magnificent performance for Madhya Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Kuldeep was the joint second-leading wicket-taker with 18 scalps in six matches at a sensational average of 12.72. His sparkling performances led to his selection to the Indian ODI squad for the Bangladesh tour in December last year.
With his ability to bowl at all times during the innings, Kuldeep Sen should help Tamil Nadu to a better showing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy than their quarter-final exit a year ago.
#3 IPL experience and death bowling skills should help Tamil Nadu in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Despite modest numbers in T20 cricket, Kuldeep Sen has shown his mettle as a death-bowling specialist who can also produce match-winning performances in front of packed stadiums in the IPL.
The young pacer played only two games this year due to the nagging back injury but showed glimpses of his prowess in the last IPL season for the Rajasthan Royals. Kuldeep picked up eight wickets in seven matches with an economy of under 10 runs per over while often bowling the difficult overs.
Among his best IPL moments was defending 15 runs off the final over against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the high-scoring Wankhede Stadium against Marcus Stoinis. It was also Kuldeep's debut in the IPL, further enhancing his ability to maintain composure and execute clearly under pressure.
However, his best T20 performance to date came against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the same season. Kuldeep Sen produced a scintillating performance of 4/20, including the vital scalps of Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell. It led RR to a terrific 29-run victory in a low-scoring affair.
Considering the disappointing Syed Mushtaq Ali season Tamil Nadu endured last year of not qualifying for the knockout stages, Kuldeep Sen's ability to bowl manfully at all stages could benefit them in high-pressure moments.