Change in action, drift from wind: The secret of Kuldeep’s Dharamshala success

Hospice (Uttam Hindu News): Dharamshala ground has been very special for Kuldeep Yadav. In 2017, he started his Test career from here and took four wickets in his debut innings against Australia. However, after this, he got a chance to play only 10 more Test matches in the last seven years, in which despite impressing, he did not get many chances in the longer format due to the presence of the successful spin pair of R Ashwin-Ravindra Jadeja.

On the eve of the fifth Test between India and England, when Indian captain Rohit Sharma was asked about the playing eleven considering the pitch and conditions, he did not rule out the possibility of playing a third fast bowler. He also said that R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are his best spinners in any conditions. This also meant that if there was any change in the Indian bowling line-up, Kuldeep was most likely to be put to the sword. However, this did not happen and Kuldeep was part of the Indian XI in the Dharamsala Test.

By the time Kuldeep came to bowl in the Dharamsala Test, both England’s opening batsmen had added 55 runs in 17 overs. Between the pitch, the weather and the help from the new ball, he handled the lethal spells of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj very well. R Ashwin, playing his 100th Test, was also unable to trouble Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in his first two overs and it seemed that England could score a big score from here. Kuldeep is brought to bowl for the first time in the 18th over and in his very first over, he takes the ball out and walks the wicket.

After this, Kuldeep does not stop and bowls 15 overs continuously and sends half the English team to the pavilion. This was Kuldeep’s fourth wicket (5-wicket haul) in Test matches. During this period, Kuldeep also completed his 50 Test wickets in Test matches, which was the record for the fastest 50 wickets for India in terms of balls (1871 balls). He broke Akshar Patel’s record of 2205 balls. Kuldeep bowled 15 consecutive overs in his spell and gave 72 runs.

He turned the ball both ways and troubled the English batsmen sometimes with his leg breaks and sometimes with googly balls. Three of his five wickets came from googlies and two from leg breaks. Apart from this, there were some occasions when catches were missed on his ball or when there was doubt in a close matter, India did not take a review.

After the day’s play, Kuldeep said, “It was very cold in the first hour and it seemed that the wicket was playing well and it would not break soon. However, due to the cold wind the ball was also getting drift. I allowed the ball to drift both ways and I am happy that we were able to bowl them out for 218.”

For Kuldeep, this test in Dharamshala is like completion of a life cycle. He made his Test debut here and at one time the then coach Ravi Shastri had even called him India’s best overseas bowler in the longer format. But he never got enough opportunities, due to which his number of Test matches is only 12.

Recalling his journey, Kuldeep says with a smile, “This journey of mine has been very interesting. To be honest, I have matured a lot and understand my bowling much better. Now I have gained enough understanding to know how to read the wicket, how to read the batsman.”

Kuldeep’s Test career may have been seven years long, but he never got consistent opportunities. This is the first series when he has played four consecutive Tests and had a long spell in almost every Test. In the second innings of the last Test in Ranchi, he bowled 14 consecutive overs, while in the first innings of the Rajkot Test, he bowled 12 consecutive overs. Even in Dharamshala, he bowled 15 consecutive overs. Kuldeep told the secret of his long spell to fitness.

He said, “In the last one and a half to two years, I have worked hard on my fitness. To get better fitness, I have made a lot of changes in my bowling and action. Apart from this, playing continuously has also helped me. If you get consistent opportunities, you also gain confidence in your bowling and game awareness. You start understanding your bowling better and your bowling also starts gaining sharpness and control. Something similar is happening with me too.”

After a good start in all three formats of international cricket, there came a long time when Kuldeep remained out of the team due to injury and poor form. He underwent knee surgery in 2021 and returned to international cricket in 2022. During this period, Kuldeep has also made a lot of changes in his action and bowling technique. This has also benefited him and he has become a regular member of all three formats of India.

Kuldeep said, “Initially it was very difficult to change the action. It took me six to eight months to get into the rhythm of the new action. But now I am used to it and enjoying it. Now I am also doing new experiments. During the Ranchi Test, I had done some experiments in my run up and was running a bit. I practice this constantly in practice. Whenever I get a slow wicket, I will also use this new run up.”

When England’s innings ended, an interesting incident happened. Ashwin also took four wickets during this innings and this is also his 100th Test. That’s why Kuldeep wanted Ashwin to lead the team with the ball in the end. But Ashwin tossed the ball towards Kuldeep. This happened two-three times and then after Siraj’s intervention, Kuldeep led the team with the ball and went towards the dressing room.

Kuldeep said, “I have played a lot of cricket with Ashwin and Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) brother and learn a lot from them. In this series also, before the Hyderabad Test, I had a long conversation with Ashwin Bhai and he suggested some changes in my mindset. He is a special player and gives you a lot of ideas. After the innings was over, he told me that he had 35 such balls, so I should keep this ball only.”