Kuldeep Yadav, the left-handed wrist-spinner, admitted that when he was dropped from the Indian team, he did not know how to cope with that, but now he is no longer afraid of failures.
He stated this following his hat-trick against New Zealand A for India A in Chennai on Sunday (September 25), which helped the hosts seal the three-match one-day series with one match remaining.
“I did not know how to cope with not getting enough game time. After the injury layoff of 4 months, I realized that I need to bowl quicker and began working on it. I am not afraid of failures now,” he said after the match.
Yadav, who used to be an integral part of the national team, has recently been in and out of the team due to injuries and loss of form. He added that rather than focusing on taking wickets, he now strives to enjoy himself and hit the right lengths.
“When you fail, you learn. When I came back to the Indian side in January. I was not afraid of failure, I wanted to enjoy the game. My focus is to keep hitting the good lengths. (Getting) wickets is not in my hands just want to bowl in good areas,” he said.
“To be honest, when I got injured, coming back from there, understanding my rhythm was very important. I was a little bit slow. After surgery, I have changed that rhythm, bowling with more effort and more control.” he added.
He was included in the three-ODI series against the West Indies after a long recovery process, and he also replaced the injured Washington Sundar in the three T20 matches against Sri Lanka in February.
But he featured only in one ODI against the West Indies and one T20 against Sri Lanka. Before the T20I series against South Africa in June, he sustained another injury, this time to his right hand while practicing his batting.
“Right from the IPL, coming back, I was bowling well in the IPL before I got hit in the nets and was out for 2 months. In the West Indies, I bowled really well and in Zimbabwe as well. Accuracy and speed were phenomenal.
Then coming back, I’m playing red ball (unofficial Tests vs New Zealand ‘A’). I played 2 games here in the first game also the control was beautiful. I am very happy.” After recovering from his wrist injury, Yadav played a T20I against West Indies last month before featuring in the three-ODI series against Zimbabwe. Yadav said the injuries and subsequent recovery made him understand himself and his body.
“When you keep playing, you learn. You want to play more games but that could not happen. I actually didn’t know how to cope up with it.
“The injury was lucky for me. I could understand my body and on comeback, began thinking about my rhythm. It is challenging but you have to see the other part as well…It is always tough playing for India,” he said.
Prithvi Shaw starred with the bat with 77 off just 48 balls as the hosts chased down the target of 220 with 16 overs and 6 wickets to spare.
(PTI INPUTS)
