Kuldeep raring to go

After a dream debut earlier this year against Australia in Dharamsala, Kuldeep Yadav is set to play his second Test. With Ravindra Jadeja having been suspended from the third and final Test against Sri Lanka, starting here from Saturday, the left-arm wrist spinner lining up with R Ashwin have only become a formality now.

“Obviously there is excitement,” Kuldeep said when asked about his feeling ahead of playing his first overseas Test. “I was excited to play my debut Test as well, so if I get a chance to play in Sri Lanka, I will be very happy because I have been working hard and this will be a result of that. Obviously excited, but also there is nervousness that I should be able to perform,” the Uttar Pradesh bowler said after India’s practice session here on Wednesday.

The bowler, however, was quick to add that with still three days to go for the match, he wasn’t taking his place in the 11 for granted.

This is Kuldeep’s maiden overseas tour, and while he said he didn’t plan anything in particular keeping the conditions in mind, he admitted that he had worked on his mindset.

“Here, wickets are a bit similar to Indian wickets and so, you do have an idea how to bowl,” he noted. “Only the batsmen are a bit different in terms of their approach… Foreign cricketers have a different approach to playing in sub-continent, not too different here but obviously I have planned a little bit. If I am able to carry it to the field, it will be good.”

The young bowler, who also made his ODI and T20I debuts in West Indies recently, admitted that life was being different after his Test appearance. “If you are playing Test cricket and playing for India, life definitely changes. There is no prouder feeling than this that you can give to your family. I feel really proud to represent India and feel happy. Hard work from childhood has paid off,” he remarked.

So what was the talk before going on to bowl? “(Anil) Kumble (then Head Coach) sir and Ajju bhai (Ajinkya Rahane, the stand-in captain for the Test) both said just enjoy your bowling, do what you do in the nets or what you have been doing since childhood.

“And in my head, the first ball was very important. I wanted to bowl the first ball very well and that was my thinking. So when the first ball was good, and 1-2 overs went well, I grew in confidence and lost my nervousness.”

The Kanpur-born bowler maybe just one match each in all three formats, but he says he can actually see his impact at the ground level.

“I think there are a lot of chinaman bowlers around now,” he said when asked about the impact of his show in his lone Test where his four-wicket haul helped India restrict Australia to 300 all out. “When I started there were hardly any (chinaman bowlers),” he emphasised.

“You go to any cricket academy and there are 8-10 chinaman bowlers practicing now. That’s one thing that has surely changed after my debut and I think we will see more of such spinners in the future in not only state and Ranji level but also hopefully at international level. It is a happy feeling that people have recognised this skill.”