India spinner Kuldeep Yadav on Wednesday (October 24) highlighted the difficulties in bowling with the wet ball during the second ODI against the West Indies that ended in a tie in Vizag.

Batting first, India posted a mammoth 321/6 in 50 overs courtesy Kohli’s 37th ODI ton (157*). In reply, the Windies rode on Shai Hope’s 123* and Shimron Hetmyer’s swashbuckling 94 to give the hosts a tough time. Needing 14 in the final over, the visitors ended up levelling the score after Hope hit a boundary in the last delivery off Umesh Yadav.

“It was very difficult to bowl in the dew, the square was quick and there the ball was wet. I was having difficulty gripping the ball. But you have to consider these situations, we need to practice a lot,” Kuldeep told reporters at the post-match press conference.

Amidst the carnage from the Windies batsmen, Kuldeep was India’s most successful bowler, returning with the figures of three for 67.

The chinaman bowler defended the team’s seamers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav, who were wayward and ended up conceding 59 and 78 runs respectively.

“Considering the situation they were in at one point when they were cruising, we are happy as a bowling unit. With the dew also there, I think we did a good job,” Kuldeep said.

The wrist-spinner also hailed Hetmyer, who scored his debut ODI ton (106) in the series opener at Guwahati.

“Hetmyer was playing brilliantly, it was very difficult to bowl to him. I was trying to contain him, was really on to him and trying to get him out. He was not comfortable against me but a couple of sixes he hit changed the course,” Kuldeep concluded.

(With PTI inputs)