INDIA VS AUSTRALIA, 2017

Working to be a little like Warne: Kuldeep Yadav

by Kaushik Rangarajan • Last updated on

Kuldeep admits he isn't bothered by opposition batsmen trying to read him with the help of video analysis © AFP

Kuldeep Yadav has emerged as the Grand Panjandrum from a limited-overs series which, at various times, has struggled for both contest and context. The left-arm wrist spinner is more firmly established as one of the side's starters, with talks of the Ashwin-Jadeja limited-overs phasing out slowly gathering steam.

Kuldeep may have anticipated the question coming (he didn't show it) but when the inevitable happened two minutes into his pre-match presser in Guwahati, he calmly stared at the microphone placed before him and said: "I don't think about replacements," before adding: "We [Chahal and I] are very young and have plenty of cricket to play. There's no way we'll think about these things."

Kuldeep, 22, is at the heart of India's mini-metamorphosis of ideologies. From safety first to uber-attacking. In the first T20I at Ranchi, he came on to bowl when Aaron Finch had given Australia an eight-runs-per-over start in the PowerPlay.

Against Kuldeep, the burly Australian opener played his cards early - he was going to make a concerted effort to sweep the spinner and put him off his radar. In this series, this was a novel line of attack, possibly borne out of extra video footage of Kuldeep's bowling now available for analysis.

The ploy worked as Finch nailed two sweeps but couldn't quite beat the deep square fielder. Kuldeep was quick to recognise this change of plan and tweaked his length and set the batsman up with an overpitched delivery. Caught unawares, Finch was cleaned up while attempting a late course correction.

The young spinner understands that as he plays more games, patterns will begin to emerge for opposition and his ingenuity will find ripostes. Then basic wrist-spin skills like beating batsmen in the air, will hold him in good stead. "Look, for me, it doesn't matter if someone is trying to look at you [videos] and picking you," Kuldeep said. "If you bowl in the good areas, your variations are good, if you can bowl in a spot... if you can beat someone in the air, you can see as many videos as you want.

"I am no mystery bowler that I'm doing tricks with the hand. Obviously, it becomes easy after 2-3 years. They'll begin picking you after playing you for a while. As long as your basics are fine, your alignment and accuracy is good, the easier it is [to enjoy continued success]."

Kuldeep comes armed with plans of his own every time he is called upon to bowl. At various stages in this series, he's had a partner whose ideas he finds easy to relate to while bowling in-tandem. In Ranchi, there was a quick exchange of notes at mid-on between Kuldeep and spin partner Yuzvendra Chahal before Kuldeep was brought into the attack. "We have quite a good partnership," he said about the blossoming bond. "It's easy on the ground, we talk about how the wicket is and how it behaves. So there is a good understanding. Even in the games, we bowl in partnerships You can see its impact.

"I ask Chahal also what is happening on the wicket upon release. If the wicket is turning, or if it is skidding through while bowling. These discussions keep happening. We keep thinking about batsmen, how he is playing and what his plans may be. These discussions are useful for me and the team," he revealed.

There are two other key personnel who help with explanation for Kuldeep's bowling smarts that belies his experience. Both incidentally, have greater affinity to the Australian camp. Shane Warne and Brad Hogg have played pivotal roles in the spinner's development; Warne simply by being Warne and Hogg through his in-depth understanding of the 'chinaman' craft and the general subtleties of wrist spin.

"They are very important to me," Kuldeep revealed. "Warne is my idol and I have always followed him from childhood. If I become 50 percent of what he is, my life is successful. I keep talking to him. I've been with Brad Hogg for two years at KKR. I've learnt a lot talking from him. Even now I keep talking to him.

"Obviously, from Warne, his wrist work, his flight and drift to deceive whichever batsmen... is very important. I'm working to be a little like him, and if I become a little successful in that, it's great for me. From Brad Hogg, because I'm a 'chinaman' and he is one too, you can learn a lot. He has the flipper and the wrong un. I think he's 46 now, so a 23-year-old career. So it feels good to learn a lot from that kind of experience. This is just the start of my career, the small things I can pick up will be very useful."

It would appear that this precocious talent was ripe for greater responsibility, which has only been enhanced by rapid elevation over some stalwarts. Now the tone of the attack is being set by him. He will make mistakes and looks quite prepared to, but he has also introduced a zest for the game plus a sense of enjoyment which have made this Indian bowling attack so much more enjoyable to watch.

© Cricbuzz

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