Kuldeep Yadav: Sachin sir said my aim should be to take 500 Test wickets
Life has changed drastically for Kuldeep Yadav in the last 6 months. The chinaman bowler recently became the 3rd Indian to rack up an ODI hat-trick, and his consistent performances in all formats have fetched plaudits from all quarters.
Shane Warne has billed him to become the best leg spinner in the world in the near future, while Indian skipper Virat Kohli considers him a vital cog of the team’s bowling attack.
In an exclusive interview ahead of Test series against Sri Lanka, the 22-year-old speaks about a range of subjects.
Excerpts:
On his ODI hat-trick against Australia: "We were defending a modest total. The ball was wet because of the dew and I was finding it tough to grip it. My target was to remove the first wicket. Then when I got the first I aimed for the second. When I bagged the second scalp then I thought I could actually get a hat-trick. I decided to bowl a googly, which came out perfectly. In my dreams I'd never imagined that I'd take a hat-trick for India. I was elated!"
On whether it was MS Dhoni’s idea for him to bowl a googly: (Laughs) "No, it was my own idea."
On Virat Kohli praising his bowling partnership with Yuzvendra Chahal: "It’s nice bowling with Chahal, I have known him for more than five years now. We share a good equation and a good understanding. It’s easy bowling with him. It’s great that our captain praises us because that makes it easier for us to give our best."
His approach to Tests and limited-overs cricket: "It depends on the situation. At times you have to bowl to control the runs, at other times you have to attack the batsmen. In ODIs and T20s, one has to bowl variations to not allow the batsmen to get set. but one should know when to bowl the variation and when to use the stock ball."
On troubling David Warner: "Obviously you have to plan more for the bigger players. He is Australia's most dangerous batsman, if he stays for 10-15 overs he can change the course of the match, so I knew we had to get him early. It’s tough to get on top of him since he is such a dominating batsman, but we had planned well to plot his dismissal."
On earning the praise of his idol, Shane Warne: "I was happy to earn the praise of my idol, nothing could give be a greater pleasure and I will always take his advice seriously."
On having the aggressive temperament of a fast bowler: "I wanted to become a fast bowler like Wasim Akram when I was young. If I had stuck with fast bowling I would have probably failed. My coach thought I did not have the energy to bowl fast. You need to be strong to generate pace but as a child I was very weak. So I guess it was a good decision to switch to spin."
On India’s big overseas season head: "I always feel that I will perform better overseas, since pitches will help me generate bounce there. Indian pitched are slow and low. Since it will be my first tour (South Africa) it will be a big challenge and I will strive to give my best."
The best compliment he has ever received: "Sachin (Tendulkar) sir called me after my Test debut and said my aim should be to take 500 Test wickets. I thought if the 'God' of cricket is expecting so much of me, there must be something to it. I could not believe that Tendulkar was actually calling me up. I was also elated when Warne called me up to praise me."
On rumours that he contemplated suicide as a youngster: "Nothing like that. I was just dejected on not being picked to the Under 13 side, so I wanted to give up cricket and start doing something else. But the thought of ending my life never crossed my mind."