06 November,2018 07:00 PM IST | Kolkata | Arup Chatterjee
Kuldeep Yadav
The Eden Gardens is fast becoming a happy hunting ground for Kuldeep Yadav. On Sunday, after another match-winning performance in the opening T20 International against the West Indies, he acknowledged familiarity as a "massive" factor.
"I've been with Kolkata Knight Riders for five years, and have played a lot of games here. I know the ground, I know the conditions. It gives you a massive advantage," said the chinaman bowler after snaring three wickets for 13 runs in his four overs. Kuldeep, later adjudged Man of the Match, said he knew that the ball would grip but not turn too much, but was quick to add that it was not just about the nature of the wicket.
"You know the outfield, the angles⦠it gives you a lot of confidence." The last time Team India were here, a little more than a year ago, Kuldeep claimed a hat-trick against Australia to become only the third Indian to achieve the feat in an ODI. Kuldeep, 23, felt that the familiarity factor worked for Dinesh Karthik too.
The KKR skipper scored an unbeaten 31 off 34 balls to help the hosts out of a rut during the chase of a modest 110-run target. "At Eden, the ball swings a little in the evening, and they bowled in the right areas as well," Kuldeep reasoned when pointed to the uneasy position of 45-4 that the Indians were pushed it by the eighth over.
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