Former Indian selector Sunil Joshi revealed that none of the coaching staff came to help the Indian primary spinner Kuldeep Yadav during his tough phase in cricket. The left-arm chinaman spinner is currently the leading wicket-taker for India in 2023, playing a few games less than other bowlers for India.
Kuldeep Yadav was the primary spinner in the Indian team in the 2019 World Cup. The left-arm spinner found himself out of the team following the team exit in the marquee event, as he was not provided with an opportunity to represent the country across the format due to poor form.
Speaking to the Indian Express, Sunil Joshi said that they were no one to help the Indian spinners during the down phase in cricket and added that he was the one, who helped get the delivery stride shorter and about getting more revolutions on the ball.
“I was part of the selection committee when Kuldeep Yadav got dropped. Who came to the rescue? None of the coaching staff, I was the one who got his delivery stride shorter, front arm better, arm speed better, got him to rip more revolutions on the ball,” Sunil Joshi said.
Kuldeep Yadav made a comeback into the Indian team following the impressive IPL 2023 and has shown the ability to pick up wickets consistently in the middle overs–and he provides a different dimension to India’s bowling and could be important for India in ODI World Cup as the games could be played on slow wickets, which may assist the spinner in the middle.
These Are The Simple Things That A Bowling Coach Should Be Doing – Sunil Joshi
Sunil Joshi feels that now everyone is talking about Kuldeep Yadav’s performance in International Cricket and disclosed a conversation with the former Indian head coach where he explained the things he worked with the Indian spinner to improve his game.
“Suddenly, everybody is talking about Kuldeep Yadav. Ravi Shastri asked Sunil, what have you done with Kuldeep? I said, ‘Ravi bhai I have not done anything special. These are the simple things that a bowling coach should be doing”.
“If you look at Kuldeep 2.0, his front arm is nice toward the target, his bowling arm is towards the target, he is running towards the target. Shorter stride, there is a free follow-through, and he has got quicker through the air. You look at the way he is bowling now,” Sunil Joshi added.
With a lot of cricket to be played in sub-continental conditions for the next six months, Rohit Sharma-led side will demand at least two spinners in the playing XI alongside Ravindra Jadeja.
Pertinently, spinners can bowl in tandem to make it difficult for the opponents in the middle over and Kuldeep Yadav would be the wicket-taking option for India in the Asia Cup 2023 and ODI World Cup 2023 respectively.