IPL 2022: "They don't have any other spinner to replace him" - Virender Sehwag on why Delhi Capitals is best team for Kuldeep Yadav's revival
Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag believes Delhi Capitals (DC) is the best IPL franchise for Kuldeep Yadav to revive his international career.
One of the brightest wrist-spin talents in the world, Kuldeep's international form started dipping around the 2019 ODI World Cup and it culminated in him being entirely out of favor in two formats by 2021. The 27-year-old then suffered a knee injury which forced him out of contention for another few months.
In this context, him claiming four wickets in the first two games for the Delhi Capitals was nothing short of brilliant. Doubts were raised about him being "found out" and not having enough in him to return to prime. A lot of that seems settled now.
Sehwag said that unlike in the Indian team, where there's cut-throat competition in every department, DC only have Kuldeep among quality spinners. He explained that this takes the pressure off him and helps him perform better.
The former opener told Cricbuzz on Thursday:
"I think it's best for him to go to Delhi because they don't have any other spinner to replace him. In the Indian team, there's (Ravichandran) Ashwin, (Yuzvendra) Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja so he doesn't know whether he'll get the match or not. In Delhi, there isn't any spinner of his quality. He knows that he will necessarily play no matter how he bowls. In that case, you bowl better because there isn't any pressure. Otherwise you think that 'he's sitting on the bench, if I don't bowl well, he'll get to play' and it affects the bowling."
Progress, not perfection – Kimberly Snyder. https://t.co/IlsxjZ8g9C
Axar Patel leads the Delhi Capitals' spin attack but often needs a more out-and-out attacking spinner to compliment him, a role fulfilled by Kuldeep. In that regard, the latter's only competition is 19-year-old left-arm wrist spinner Vicky Ostwal, who was India's top-wicket taker at the U-19 World Cup.
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Kuldeep Yadav is better than before: Ajay Jadeja
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Our boys are charged before the next challenge & look forward to taking on the Super Giants 💪
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Speaking in the same interaction, former Indian batter Ajay Jadeja even remarked that Kuldeep's bowling is even better than before the injury because there's a new-found rhythm in how the ball is leaving his hand. He said:
"I'll say he's better than before because the way ball is leaving out of his hand... have you ever played with a top? Sometimes you spin it 150 times and it doesn't come out well from the hand. But somtimes there's a rhythm where it comes out with a buzzing sound the first time. The ball is coming out of his hand like that. If you watch the game, he has the confidence - he's in a different team, these are all side benefits but confidence ultimately comes from how the ball leaves your hand."
According to the IPL schedule, the wrist-spinner is currently playing against the Lucknow Super Giants at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Mumbai.