Kuldeep Yadav – India’s upcoming chinaman ready to strike big

Kuldeep Yadav

This is perhaps the best phase for the development of Indian bowling. After the recent origin of Mohammed Shami, another new bowling sensation has emerged in the form of the young and vibrant Kuldeep Yadav. His impressive performance in the junior Asia cup recently held at Sharjah has been highlighted and praised whole heartedly by the media.

In that tournament, he had taken 16 wickets. He happens to be a chinaman bowler – a rarity these days – who has reached the 16 wickets mark in just 5 matches. He will hopefully ensure his place in team India in the near future.

Kuldeep had played a key role in the victory for team India over the arch rival Pakistan in the Asia Cup. He was simply the best bowler for India in the tournament. Keeping in view his recent performances, he has been asked to report directly in Bangalore, where the Ranji team of UP will face Karnataka. A very timely boost for Kuldeep!

He follows the style of Shane Warne, albeit being a left arm bowler. While playing for India’s under-19 team in Sri Lanka last year, he had taken 14 wickets in two Test matches and had also grabbed 5 wickets in 3 ODIs. Expressing his earnest desire to give his best, he has said on occasions that he takes even net practice sessions very seriously and always enters the ground with a totally positive attitude.

After the Ranji trophy, he has also been told to join the camp for the upcoming Under-19 World Cup, which will be held in Sharjah from 14th February.

He further clarified that he aims to win the Under-19 World Cup for India. He hoped that he will be successful in achieving his goal. When he got to know that a number of players such as Virat Kohli and Sir Jadeja have joined team India through the Under-19 route, Kuldeep admitted that it is his ultimate goal to play for team India one day.

Kuldeep had never thought of being a chinaman bowler. All he wanted was to become a medium-fast bowler. But owing to a lesser speed, his coach Kapil Pandey asked him to try spin bowling using his left arm. When he tried this, instead of off break, it came out to be a leg break. Thereafter, Kuldeep, on the advice of his coach started bowling in the style of Shane Warne.

Any left arm spinner mainly bowls off break. But Kuldeep can do this using his left arm – hence, he is known as a chinaman bowler. Kuldeep is already on the rolls of Mumbai Indians as a reserve player, and has already managed to trouble Sachin Tendulkar with his variations in the nets, bowling the legendary batsman on the first ball he bowled.

The story goes that Tendulkar, while batting in the nets, was unaware that Kuldeep was a chinaman bowler, and didn’t expect the ball to come in, getting bowled after being completely surprised.

Hopefully, he will go on to be a long term prospect for India – unlike many others who have shown their spark but not been able to maintain it. Best wishes.