Delivered under pressure: Kuldeep
VISAKHAPATNAM: Kuldeep Yadav has rated his hat-trick against the West Indies as his best bowling performance, the Indian record coming in the backdrop of relentless pressure and a dip in form leading to exclusion from the team. Kuldeep, a permanent fixture from 2017 to early 2019, endured a slump starting from the last IPL and after a disappointing World Cup, he was kept out of the team for a good four months.
On Wednesday, he became the first Indian cricketer to claim two hat-tricks in international cricket. “The last 10 months were very tough for me. After consistent performances, there comes a phase when wickets don’t come by and you start thinking more about your bowling. After World Cup, I was dropped from the team, then I worked really hard for four months,” Kuldeep said after India’s 107-run win in the second ODI here.
He admitted that he was a bit nervous when he made his comeback in national colours in a T20 International against the West Indies in Mumbai. “The T20 against West Indies in Mumbai was my first match for India in four months. I was a bit nervous as there was a bit of gap and I hadn’t played international cricket during that phase. Performance wise, this hat-trick will be at the top of the list because pressure was on me and it was a result of four-five months of hard work,” he said.
Asked what was going through his mind before the hattrick ball, Kuldeep said that he was confused whether to bowl a wrong ‘un or a conventional chinaman to Alzarri Joseph. “I was a bit confused which one to bowl—the wrong ‘un or the chinaman. I thought wrong ‘un is the best option and I put a second slip there. I was thinking to bowl the off-middle line and if he misses then I will get the wicket. That was the plan,” he revealed.
He didn’t think even during the slump in form that he was bowling badly, but needed a bit more planning on variation.