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Indian cricketer Kuldeep Yadav met former Manchester United superstar footballer David Beckham in Mumbai during the 2023 World Cup and had a candid chat about how much he loved football.
While Kuldeep claimed that he was a Barcelona fan, he told Beckham that he used to follow Manchester United because of the likes of Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. He also expressed his desire to become a football manager after he was done with his cricketing career.
Speaking to Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel, here's what Kuldeep Yadav had to say about his interaction with David Beckham (3:03):
"I met him after the game (2023 WC against SL) and told him that I used to watch Manchester United because of Paul Scholes. I spoke a bit too directly (laughs). I also told him that I am a huge Gary Neville fan and requested him to let him know whenever he meets him. I told that after I finish my career I probably want to try being a football manager."
Kuldeep Yadav also expressed his desire to contribute to the rise of Indian football, be it in terms of giving help in terms of resources or any other way. He intends to have a football academy of his own too.
Kuldeep Yadav on starting as a left-arm pacer
Kuldeep Yadav revealed that he was a left-arm pacer in his age group cricketing days as he was a massive fan of former Pakistan speedster Wasim Akram. However, his childhood coach Kapil Pandey looked at his height and felt that bowling spin would be a better way to progress.
On this, Kuldeep stated (7:33)
"I watched Wasim Akram during the 2003 World Cup and I admired him so much that I wanted to be a left-arm fast bowler. But then once my coach Kapil Pandey asked me what my father's height was. He then realized that maybe since my father was short I also may not become quite tall so instead of fast bowling, I changed into being a spinner."
Kuldeep began bowling left-arm wrist-spin and his performances at the U19 level caught the eye of five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians way back in 2012. Explaining how he became a part of the MI setup, Kuldeep said (11:00):
"I was playing against Mumbai in U19 and I got six wickets and scored 75 runs. Then Rahul Sanghvi bhai (Cricket Management, Mumbai Indians) called me for a one-to-one trial and then I signed a contract with Mumbai Indians. I also bowled to Paaji (Sachin Tendulkar) in the nets and it was a big occasion for me. I got him out too."
Since IPL 2022, Kuldeep Yadav has become a vital cog for the Delhi Capitals. His fortunes have changed with respect to the Indian team as well, as he is gradually becoming a regular across formats.
