IND vs ZIM 2022: "He is slightly confused if he should bowl fast or slow" - Mohammad Kaif on Kuldeep Yadav's spell in 2nd ODI

Mohammad Kaif reckons Kuldeep Yadav is slightly confused about the speed at which he should operate with the ball.

Kuldeep registered figures of 1/49 in the eight overs he bowled in the second ODI against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Saturday, August 20. He got rid of the in-form Sikandar Raza as Team India bowled out the hosts for just 161 runs and chased down the below-par target with five wickets to spare.

During a discussion on Sony Sports, Kaif was asked about his views on Kuldeep Yadav's bowling. He responded:

"He is slightly confused if he should bowl fast or slow. He has adopted a new thing that he wants to bowl fast, he wants to keep the speed around 90 kph. There at times the balls are pitching short, so Williams played the pull shots and when he flighted the ball, he was driven."

While observing that Kuldeep did pick up the vital wicket of Raza, Kaif pointed out that the left-arm wrist-spinner conceded quite a few runs. The former Indian batter elaborated:

"There were quite a few boundaries that went off his bowling. He proved slightly expensive if we see today. He conceded the most runs if we talk about the bowlers, he gave 49 runs in his eight overs. He had a big wicket to his name, he dismissed Sikandar Raza, who is a good player."

Raza top-edged a cut shot and was brilliantly caught by Ishan Kishan at short third man. This is the only wicket Kuldeep Yadav has taken in the series thus far, having gone wicketless in the first game.

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"The rhythm is being seen" - Mohammad Kaif feels Kuldeep Yadav will get better the more he plays

Kuldeep Yadav has played only 12 ODIs in the last three years

Kaif added that Kuldeep will also be disappointed about having dropped Brad Evans off his own bowling. He observed:

"He missed a caught-and-bowled opportunity, he will be slightly disappointed with that. However, the rhythm is being seen. He bowled well in West Indies. He will get better when he plays more matches. He has not got regular matches."

Kaif concluded by opining that the Delhi Capitals spinner needs more matches under his belt to be at the top of his game. The cricketer-turned-commentator said:

"He is there in the team, went to West Indies and played only one match, where he picked up three wickets in a T20I. Here he bowled well in the last match, today he picked up a wicket but conceded runs. He is a bowler who needs more matches."

Kuldeep registered figures of 3/12 in the only T20I he played in the West Indies. The 27-year-old has not been picked in India's squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2022, with Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi chosen ahead of him as wrist-spinners.