Back from the brink!

Kuldeep Yadav, the forgotten man of Indian cricket, must rediscover his mojo as he returns to Team India’s ODI fold against West Indies next month

Left-arm wrist spinners are a rare breed in international cricket. They need to be nurtured with patience and care. 

But the way Kuldeep Yadav has been handled by the Indian team management over the last couple of years has left his promising career at the crossroads. He was supposed to be the biggest thing in Indian cricket when he made his international debut in 2017. He formed an effective partnership with leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and the two earned some famous wins for India. But down the line, the team management lost confidence in him and sidelined him while giving preference to other spinners. 

Yadav’s story became like that of a major artist in a circus, who was supposed to regale the patrons, but ended up joining the spectators in applauding other artists. And when he did get a rare chance to face the gallery, he fluffed his lines.  

Future unclear

Now, when it seemed he was becoming the forgotten man of Indian cricket, he once again finds himself back in reckoning. Yadav has been included in the Indian ODI team to play the West Indies in three matches next month. It’s difficult to foresee where his career is headed from here, but hopefully, he will get a fair run under a new captain, Rohit Sharma and head coach, Rahul Dravid, and will not be swept away unceremoniously.

It is difficult to recall any other cricketer, who has warmed the benches in so many matches over the last few years, with the results that this left-arm unorthodox spinner has. But then he not only lost his rhythm, but also his confidence along the way. His return to the ODI squad is one final opportunity to make a strong comeback, provided, of course, he is picked in the XI.

Yadav’s coach and former Services player, Kapil Dev Pandey, says that Kuldeep needs the confidence and backing of the team management because he is a rhythm bowler. “The more he plays, the better he will get. There is nothing better than playing competitive matches to not only retain the cutting edge, but also improve one’s skills. When you do not get many opportunities, it is natural that self-doubt creeps in. Moreover, Kuldeep has been advised by many about the speed at which he bowls. Some have told him to bowl at a quicker pace as they feel it’s easier to read him when he bowls at a slower pace. This has muddled his mind further,” said Pandey insisting however, that “only by playing regular competitive cricket can he get back 
his mojo.”  

Point to prove

There is no doubt that a lack of opportunity and injuries have restricted Yadav from honing his skills further, but all is not lost. He is just 27, and spinners mature late. So, it’s time for him to grind it out in the middle and prove himself all over again. It will be interesting to see if the team management has faith in him and can give him a long enough rope to become a frontline spinner in white-ball cricket as India look to rebuild after the disastrous tour of South Africa.

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