"Make him a regular member of the white-ball setup" - Robin Uthappa on Kuldeep Yadav after match-winning spell in 3rd T20I
Former Indian batter Robin Uthappa sympathized with left-arm-chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav for being in and out of the team constantly despite impressive performances whenever the opportunity presented itself.
Yadav continued his outstanding year in white-ball cricket, picking up 3/28 in his four overs to help restrict the West Indies to 159/7 in the third T20I at Guyana. The 28-year-old also became the fastest Indian bowler to 50 T20I wickets, overtaking teammate Yuzvendra Chahal ( 34 innings) to achieve the landmark in his 29th T20I innings.
Among full member sides, Yadav is also the third fastest to reach the milestone behind Ajantha Mendis of Sri Lanka and Mark Adair of Ireland.
Following his absence due to a thumb injury in the second T20I, Team India was bolstered by the return of its in-form spinner as they stayed alive in the five-match series with a seven-wicket victory.
Speaking to Jio Cinema post-game, Uthappa wished Yadav could be a regular member of India's white-ball setup.
"You got to feel for the guy. He's kind of waited and bided his time away and not play and every time he's gotten an opportunity, He has got wickets. You read stuff on Twitter like Oh, man, Kuldeep has performed, he is going to get dropped in the next game," said Uthappa.
"And then, often what's happened to him in the past and you hope that's not the case anymore and they move on from that and make him a regular member of the whiteball setup," added Uthappa.
Kuldeep Yadav makes history in Guyana! 🔥🎯
#Cricket #Kuldeep #India pic.twitter.com/tIa4HPyPCE
Although the other Yadav (Suryakumar Yadav) stole the limelight with his whirlwind 83 off 44 balls in India's run-chase, the chinaman's spell and particularly his dismissal of destructive middle-order batter Nicholas Pooran was crucial to restrict the hosts to a chasable total.
The Uttar Pradesh lad was the second leading-wicket taker in the three-match ODI series preceding the T20s, with seven wickets in three innings.
"His biggest improvements that he's made" - Robin Uthappa
Robin Uthappa felt Kuldeep Yadav mastering the control of the pace of his flighted delivery in its trajectory was the reason for his resurgence and a strong showing in white-ball cricket this year.
Following an impressive start to his international career from 2017 to 2019, the spinner was relegated to less game time in the next three years. However, Yadav has bounced back in style this year, picking up 22 wickets in 11 ODIs and six scalps in five T20Is at a terrific economy rate of under six runs per over.
"He has got this flighted delivery. It has the same trajectory at the point of delivery. He is able to kind of control the pace of the delivery at that trajectory. I think that's become one of his biggest strengths today and his biggest improvements that he's made," he said.
"You've seen Piyush Chawla do the same in the IPL this year. He bowls slower through the air at the same trajectory and which is why he's second on that list to 50 wickets," he concluded.
After a dismal stint between 2019 and 2021, Yadav has also been sensational in the IPL, picking up 31 wickets in 28 games over the last two seasons for the Delhi Capitals.
With the ODI World Cup less than two months away, the Men in Blue will hope for the talented spinner to continue his excellent form to help the side overcome its ICC title drought.