IPL 2019: Harbhajan Singh shares his views on Kuldeep Yadav’s lacklustre showing in IPL

Kuldeep has claimed only 4 wickets in 9 games for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2019.

Kuldeep Yadav is struggling in IPL 2019 | IANS

Harbhajan Singh has come out in support of the struggling wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, saying that his lacklustre showing in the ongoing Indian Premier League won’t have any impact on his performance in the upcoming World Cup. As per Harbhajan, Kuldeep will have ample chance of a comeback during the 50-over showpiece event, starting on May 30 in England and Wales.

Kuldeep, who is expected to be a vital cog in India’s World Cup campaign, has claimed only 4 wickets in 9 games for Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2019. In fact, the chinaman bowler was dropped in the last game against Sunrisers Hyderabad due to “poor form”.

“There is no doubt that Kuldeep is going through a rough patch in IPL. T20 is a format which can destroy the confidence of any bowler but let’s not compare formats. One-day (match) is a different ball game and you will see a very different Kuldeep,” Harbhajan quoted as saying by PTI.

The veteran off-spinner also added that has seen Kuldeep bowling in this year’s IPL and the wrist spinner has no technical issues as such.

“I have watched a bit of his bowling and I don’t think there is any technical problems. And please check who all are hitting Kuldeep? The Indian guys are primarily hitting him. Virat (Kohli) in two games, Mayank (Agarwal), Mandy (Mandeep), Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan,” Harbhajan remarked.

“Leave aside Virat, who is in a different league, all these guys are competent players of spin bowling. They read Kuldeep’s wrists much better than foreign batsmen. So in World Cup, Kuldeep will be bowling mostly to those who are still not reading him well. I think you will see a different Kuldeep,” he explained.

But Harbhajan expects Kuldeep to show some situational awareness when he is getting hit.

“If he is getting hit by giving the deliveries more air, for a change, he can just push it a bit faster. If they are stepping out and hitting from length, he can just alter the length by half a yard. Now when you get hit, your mind does not work automatically.”So there comes in the captain, who should tell him, ‘Okay, you have tried your thing, now try what I am telling you’. It helps a youngster,” he asserted.

Harbhajan, who is playing for Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing IPL, also said that no team will be consistently attacking Kuldeep during the World Cup.

“He may get hit but in the middle overs, the skipper will pack one side of the field, whether it’s inside 30-yard circle or outside. Even if he is hit for two fours, he can come back with figures of 3/50 or 2 for 45 on most days. And that’s decent figures. In ODIs, you have to be a real bad bowler to go for 75-80 runs everyday,” he stated.

Harbhajan pointed put another factor that will work in Kuldeep’s favour during the World Cup is the period of play when he operates.

“In IPL, Kuldeep is bowling the 14th or even the 16th over when batsmen are throwing their bats around. In World Cup, Virat will probably finish their quota by latest 42nd or 43rd over. So the last seven overs, which will always be tricky, they are not expected to bowl,” he concluded.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 25 Apr, 2019

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