“We haven’t ousted anyone but made use of opportunities that we got,” was how young chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav responded when asked if Yuzvendra Chahal and his performances have literally shut the ODI door on veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
The wrist spinner duo of Chahal and Kuldeep have beenregular feature in India’s ODI format confining finger spinner Ashwin to thesidelines and relegating Ravindra Jadeja as the third specialist spinner.
“No, no, not at all. We haven’t ousted anyone. It’sjust that we have got the opportunities and we did well. They (Ashwin andJadeja) have always been doing well for India. In Test matches, Ash(Ravichandran Ashwin) and Jaddu Bhai (Ravindra Jadeja) are still playing,”Kuldeep said on the eve of the second ODI.
Since it was a leading question, Kuldeep made an extraeffort to make it clear that the perception of wrist spinners gettingpreferential treatment compared to finger spinners.
“We learn a lot from them (Ashwin and Jadeja). Theyhave a lot of experience. When I am in the Test squad, I learn a lot from them.Whenever we got an opportunity, for me and Chahal, we have performed for theteam and that helped the team to win, so happy about it,” Kuldeep waxed eloquentabout the kind of relation that the duo share with the senior pair.
In the first game, Kuldeep bowled well and got two wicketswhile Jadeja despite going wicketless was very economical. With Chahal alsowaiting for his chance, Kuldeep is happy that all spinners are bowling well.
“To be honest, myself, (Yuzvendra Chahal) and Jaddubhai (Ravindra Jadeja) are playing really well so nothing much to worry aboutand we are focusing game by game,” added Kuldeep.
Quizzed if he has ever felt pressure while bowling to anybatsmen, he said: “No one to be very honest. There are few players, whohave played me well and I am not afraid of getting hit.”
However Shaun Marsh, according to Kuldeep is one batsman,who has really played him well. “Shaun Marsh is a very good player of spinbowling. In Australia, Shaun Marsh was playing really well (against me) andthey (team management) wanted to give me a break for a couple of games.
“After that I studied Marsh’s batting and saw himplaying a lot of deliveries on the front-foot and it paid off. But it will beimportant how I bowl to him in the next game if he plays,” he said.
Having already played 12 ODIs against Australia, there is asense of familiarity about the opposition batting line-up.
“Of course, it been two years (now) I am playinginternational cricket and I have almost played 10-12 matches against Australiain One Day format. Nowadays, video analysis is there, it is not very hard topick a bowler. To add another dimension to his game, Kuldeep has now starteddevoting extra time on his batting under the watchful eyes of assistant coachSanjay Bangar. Agencies