Being A Standby Player For ICC Champions Trophy 2017 Won’t ‘Demoralise’ Kuldeep Yadav: Kapil Pandey
May 10, 2017 at 12:52 PM
After Chief Selector for Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday (May 8) MSK Prasad announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2017, the left-arm unorthodox spinner Kuldeep Yadav’s childhood coach Kapil Pandey expressed delight over seeing his ward being inducted into the much-awaited squad among the five reserve players.
“It is nothing wrong if they (BCCI selectors) have also announced the reserve players,” Pandey was quoted by Deccan Chronicle.
Pandey stated the young Kuldeep will learn to work hard while sharing the bench with senior campaigners particularly referring to the longer format of the game in the foreseeable future.
“It will not demoralise Kuldeep either. On the contrary it will inspire him to work harder,” Pandey said.
The other four players are named as wicket-keeper batsmen Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant followed by middle-order batsman Suresh Raina and fast bowler Shardul Thakur.
Pandey went on to say that there’s hardly any difference taking place between the 12th man and the players, who have been kept on standby while adding Indian skipper Virat Kohli has also been the part of Team India as a twelfth man before cementing his place.
“There is hardly any difference between a 12th man and reserve players. Even Virat Kohli has performed a 12th-man job,” Pandey remarked.
However, Kuldeep is excited to be the part of a squad as a reserve player which is going to defend its title they won under the tutelage of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in 2013 against the hosts England.
“Only thing is that Kuldeep will not be in England. But can be included in the event of urgency,” Pandey asserted.
Interestingly, MSK Prasad during the meeting stated youngsters have given their best during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) while praising Rishabh and Kuldeep itself, who delivered his best in the Test series decider against Australia at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium (HPCA) in Dharamsala.
“The two spinners R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were automatic choice and Kuldeep’s place is in the reserves because selectors have felt he can be handy if Ashwin or any other player is unfit. Kuldeep should learn to adjust to such situations”, Pandey concluded.
Kuldeep, who is the part of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, has played 23 first-class matches in which he bagged 83 wickets so far, before claiming four wickets and conceding 91 runs in his only Test appearance in March this year against Australia.