Former Australia international and fellow chinaman Brad Hogg has backed youngster Kuldeep Yadav to play more T20Is, reasoning that doing so would test his temperament and help him mature as a spinner. Hogg told this when asked for his opinion regarding Indian spin legend Bishan Singh Bedi’s statement where the Indian legend felt that playing Kuldeep Yadav playing in too many T20s will reduce his effectiveness.
“No, I don’t agree with that at all. I think he should be put under constant pressure all the time and I firmly believe that he can handle it. He is young and if things don’t go his way, he has got the mental aptitude to go away – think about it, learn from it -and come back stronger. I think he is a fantastic prospect for India and has a great future ahead of him,” Hogg states.
The veteran-rookie duo of Brad Hogg and Kuldeep featured together for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL where the senior acted as a mentor to the young spinner.
Hogg, who played seven Tests, 123 One-Day Internationals and 23 T20Is for Australia, also revealed the amusing situation in which he found himself when Kuldeep was getting better of the Australians.
“It’s extremely funny when you are watching Australia play India, and want your side to do well. And then, you also have someone – who is your type of bowler – with whom you have played and you want him to do well too. Look, I am quite ecstatic about Kuldeep’s performance and his steady rise,” said Hogg.
The 46-year-old also states that Kuldeep often interacts with him via Skype. He also appreciated his protégé’s ability to learn quickly and also raved about his ability to fight back after being put under pressure by the batsman.
“I have always enjoyed my interactions with Kuldeep. He has a never-say-die attitude which is just so refreshing,” added Hogg. That attitude was on full display when Kuldeep cleaned up Glenn Maxwell with a wrong’un on Saturday. Kuldeep had just been hit for a boundary by Maxwell two balls earlier, but the chinaman bowler had the last laugh.
“The thing that catches your attention is that he constantly looks to get better at his craft. He has a big heart and always looks to outfox the batsmen like he did in Dharamshala. As a spinner you want to see someone who is constantly testing the batsmen,” Hogg said.