Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav has made an impact in just two years since his first-class debut. (Source: Express file photo by Tashi Tobgayal) Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav has made an impact in just two years since his first-class debut. (Source: Express file photo by Tashi Tobgayal)

IT’S BEEN a hectic domestic season for Kuldeep Yadav. Having been on the road for three months at a stretch, he now has a week’s break which will give him enough time to unwind.

The left-arm chinaman bowler has been in dazzling form this Ranji season, showcasing his wide repertoire and plotting the dismissals of opposition batsmen with skill and gumption. With 27 scalps in six games, he has earned a spot amongst the top wicket-takers this Ranji season. In just two years since his first-class debut, the 21-year-old has risen in the ranks and has turned into Uttar Pradesh’s strike bowler.

Most who have watched his progress feel that young Kuldeep is now ready to make the transition into India’s senior team. With leg-spinner Amit Mishra’s axe from the ongoing second Test against England in Vizag, and the consequent induction of young spinner Jayant Yadav only means the national selectors are keen on investing in youth. Robust performances with the pink ball in the Duleep Trophy, followed by even better performances in the Ranji Trophy only means the Kanpur lad is a suitable candidate to fill the void of a wrist spinner.

Kuldeep, on his part, plays down all such talk, but many in the Uttar Pradesh think tank feel the time is ripe to blood in the spinner in the Indian Test squad. One among them is Uttar Pradesh’s assistant coach Mritunjay Tripathi. “With the kind of form he is in currently, I think he deserves to get a look-in. There are still some Test matches to be played at home, and if the selectors want to play three spinners, Kuldeep will give you that variety and can also complement a senior off-spinner like (Ravichandran) Ashwin,” Tripathi adds.

Crafty and with the potential to extract prodigious turn, it is his unconventional style that makes him hard to pick.”His basics are correct, and as a bowler he has some clever variations up his sleeve. But his USP has been the manner in which he bowls the wrong-un. He gets ample loop and because of his unusual wrist action, most batsmen end up playing for the traditional chinaman delivery,” Tripathi adds.

Bengal opener Sayan Mondal was one of the many victims of Kuldeep’s subtle craft. Uttar Pradesh were playing their second round Ranji Trophy game at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur.

Despite being well set on 51, Mondal danced down the track to a well-flighted delivery, only to realise to his own peril that it was a wrong-un — a vicious offering that turned away from the right-hander.

The opener was stranded half way down the track, and Uttar Pradesh ‘keeper Ekalavya Dwivedi completed an easy stumping. The match meandered to a tepid draw, and Bengal walked away with three crucial points thanks to their 56-run lead in the first innings. Yadav’s nine-wicket burst proved to be the only bright spot for Uttar Pradesh. Apart from his variations — the traditional chinaman delivery and the wrong-un, Kuldeep also has a deceptive flipper, which slides straight on with the arm. However, the standout feature in his bowling has been his accuracy — which at most times is pin-point and relentless.

All variations are rendered impotent, if a bowler does not have the skill of bowling an unwavering line and length. Kuldeep simplifies his art when he says: “As a bowler, my aim is to make the batsman play as many deliveries as possible. This will only improve my chances of picking up a wicket.”

With two five-wicket hauls under his belt this Ranji season, Kuldeep has also been in good bowling rhythm.

“Mera release acha nikal raha hain…aur mein rhythm mein ball dal raha hoon,” he adds. Kuldeep believes he has carried his good form from the Duleep Trophy which acted as a precursor to the Ranji season. “I am carrying the confidence that I gained from the Duleep Trophy. The success I attained in that tournament and playing under Yuvi paaji has only boosted my confidence,” he concedes.

In many ways, Kuldeep’s prolific form has coincided with Uttar Pradesh’s uninspiring run in the premier domestic tournament. Uttar Pradesh, the 2006 Ranji champions, are currently fighting a losing battle to attain a spot in the knock-outs. With four losses and two draws from their six league games, they are languishing near the bottom of Group A with just four points.

Poor batting, coupled with lack of support from the other bowlers, has proved to be their bane. Kuldeep puts things in perspective when he says: “It has been a disappointing campaign for us. We have failed to gel together as a unit, and our batsmen have not put enough runs on the board. But we still have two games to go this season, and if we play to our potential we can go for outright wins, and this can keep us in contention for the play-offs.”

An improved batsman

Apart from his dazzling display with the ball, Kuldeep has been quite a revelation with the bat. In six games, spanning ten innings, he has scored 324 runs with two fifties. Batting at No.7, his contributions have proved to be invaluable to his team where most of the top-order batsmen have failed to click. Kuldeep, plays down talks of him being an all-rounder for his side.

Instead, he puts it to the valuable inputs he had received from Yuvraj Singh, who was his captain during Duleep Trophy. Apart from this, he reckons that the inception of neutral venues have only improved the standard of pitches across the country.

“I feel Yuvi paaji’s inputs has helped my batting tremendously. He suggested minor changes in my technique. I also feel there have been more batting friendly tracks around because of neutral venues,” he adds. Before he dreams of making the cut in India’s Test squad, he has has two more league games left. Here he will be looking to do what he has been doing all season — conjure stellar performances with both ball and bat.

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