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In India’s impressive 100-run victory against England, which maintained their unbeaten run in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav delivered a stunning moment with the ball that left the 46,000 spectators at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in awe.
Kuldeep’s magical delivery came on the first ball of the 16th over. He pitched the ball just outside the off-stump with a flatter trajectory and managed to make it turn sharply, sneaking through the gate of England captain Jos Buttler to disturb the stumps with precision.
This delivery drew immediate comparisons to Kuldeep’s dismissal of Pakistan captain Babar Azam in a similar fashion in 2019. However, Kuldeep believes that the deliveries to dismiss Azam and Buttler were essentially the same.
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“Both the balls were good. I think both the balls were the same. There were no changes. The quality is important, and the quality of the players is also very important. They were very important wickets, and the team won – that is more important,” he stated during the post-match press conference.
In their first experience of bowling under lights in the competition, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami delivered impressive performances with figures of 3-32 and 4-22, respectively, setting the foundation for England to be bowled out for 129.
Kuldeep, who took 2-24, explained that his role was to build on the solid foundation laid by Shami and Bumrah. This marked a significant turnaround for Kuldeep, who was hit for 72 runs by England in the 2019 World Cup, a moment that triggered a challenging period for him before making a remarkable comeback as India’s middle-over specialist.
“I mean, it is good if we get to bat first. But if we set a good total, it would be even more enjoyable. With a score of 230 and challenging pitch conditions, I was hoping that if we could take two wickets in the powerplay, we would be in the game.”
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“The way Shami and Jasprit bowled, particularly in the powerplay, taking two wickets, put us back in the game. My job was straightforward, to bowl at a good length. The pitch was spinning, and I utilized the crease well. The results were favorable. I know the conditions in my hometown very well. The pitch provides spin, and when you bowl with seam, it spins even better. I focused on maintaining a good length and using the crease effectively.”
Kuldeep also acknowledged that dew can be a challenge when bowling under lights. He attributed his success to consistent game time in ODIs throughout the year, which prepared him for bowling in the second innings.
“I’ve played one-day matches throughout the year. I’ve played in various countries, including Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka. I’ve been prepared. I’ve played a lot of one-day cricket this year. Bowling at night doesn’t bring about significant changes.”
“As a bowler, you prefer not to bowl in dew because it makes batting easier. However, I don’t have a problem bowling at night or during the day. When our batsmen score well, 300-plus, it makes bowling a bit easier.”
“In any case, this preparation has been beneficial. Playing back-to-back bilateral series this year, along with our preparation for the World Cup, has contributed to my consistency in day-night bowling.”
In India’s total of 229/9 on a two-paced pitch, Kuldeep added 21 runs for the ninth wicket with Jasprit Bumrah. The team had prepared the lower-order batsmen, including Kuldeep, for their contributions, particularly in the absence of Hardik Pandya.
“I’m working diligently on my batting and contributing to the team. If I can add 10-15 runs, it benefits the team. Our partnership of around 25 runs in the last few overs helped us reach a respectable total of 230. I felt that we could defend it. It’s not that I only focus on batting during matches; I also work on my batting during practice.”
“Sometimes I score, and sometimes I may not connect well with the ball, and I get out. We often have just 3-4 overs to bat, and a couple of dot balls can put pressure on us. However, we are working on our batting. Hopefully, in the future, we can contribute 15-20 runs instead of 10,” Kuldeep concluded.