Kuldeep was India’s standout bowler in the match against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday.
Kuldeep was India’s standout bowler in the match against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday (February 23). He returned with the figures of 3/40 in 9 overs, helping his team bundle out the arch-rivals for 241 in 49.4 overs.
After undergoing surgery for a sports hernia last year, Kuldeep missed more than three months of cricket.
"Injuries take six months to recover. I played two matches against England. I had a good rhythm. I had a good rhythm even against Bangladesh.
"But obviously, you always look for wickets (he went wicketless against Bangladesh). But today, when I bowled my first over, I felt that I am in a better rhythm. I am in a comfortable position. Even now, I feel that I can bowl better. I have played 3-4 matches. I will get better as I play more," Kuldeep told newspersons in the Mixed Zone after India’s six-wicket win over Pakistan.
Naseem Shah, Salman Agha, and Shaheen Afridi were among Kuldeep's three victims. Talking about his specific plans, he said: "In the first spell, I hit a lot of Chinaman. And the wrong one is a variation of mine. I also hit a topspin with the wrong one.
"The first wicket of Salman was a normal Chinaman. It was slow, but I varied the pace. Obviously, the second wicket was a first-ball swing. I was targeting the wicket. I thought it was a better option to hit the wrong one.
"So, I have to think about which delivery I can hit. And the incoming deliveries are difficult if it's a slow track. So, that was my plan."
However, Kuldeep reckons he still has a room for improvement. "To be very honest, in terms of accuracy, I feel that if I play more games, I will be much better. Obviously, when you play a lot of games, you tend to mix your pace."
He enjoys the challenge of bowling in the final overs as well. "I was able to become the first choice in bowling the last 10 overs. Even the captain felt that it's very difficult to hit spinners when you have variations. Luckily, it was good for me. The wicket was slow. I was trying to mix with the pace and wrong ones or topspin.
"If you get one or two wickets in the middle, the batsmen tend to block you. That's what they did in the last 10 overs. Playing Pakistan, there is a lot of pressure from the fans. There are a lot of expectations. I enjoy it," he stated.
Kuldeep credited the NCA for his quick recovery from hernia surgery. "I give a lot of credit to the NCA. I worked with Rajni. Dhananjay, who is our physio, was under Nitin Patel. I didn't take a day off. I took two days off. He called me back. I was very focused. I knew that if I delayed even a little, I would miss the Champions Trophy. I didn't expect to recover in time, but the staff was working very hard," he remarked.