No question of replacing Ashwin, Jadeja: Kuldeep
GUWAHATI:THE success of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal has given India fresh options as they strive to find the right mix in the build up to the 2019 World Cup.
The entry of Chinaman bowler Kuldeep and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal together came in the Sri Lanka limited-overs series, when R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were ‘rested’, as per a BCCI release. Their rest period has extended to the current contests against Australia.
While Ashwin played in the English County and is now featuring for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy, Jadeja will soon play for Saurashtra. Their absence hasn’t been felt thanks to Kuldeep and Yuzvendra Chahal. Yadav, who became the third
Indian bowler to take a ODI hattrick, against Australia, says neither he nor Chahal have the experience to replace Ashwin and Jadeja.
“Replace karne ka chance hi nahi hota hai (there is no question of replacing them)…we are still very young. We still have more cricket to play, so that thought hasn’t crossed our minds. Ash and Jaddu bhai have been consistent performers for India in all the formats, so I haven’t thought that far,” he said on Monday.
Kuldeep said the presence of another wrist-spinner in Yuzvendra Chahal, who has the best T20I match figures (6/25) by an Indian, has helped him prosper.
“We’ve a very good partnership going… It helps as we talk each other about the wicket and the conditions.”
Kuldeep Yadav said he looks up to Aussies Shane Warne and Brad Hogg, also a Chinaman bowler. “His (Warne’s) wrist work, flight and drift, and the way he deceives any batsman is what I really look up to… He’s my idol.”
Kuldeep added: “I have been with Hogg with KKR for two seasons. You learn a lot from a fellow Chinaman, be it his flipper or wrong ’un.”
Kuldeep is not worried about losing his X-factor. “After two to three years, the batsmen will pick me... If my basics like alignment and accuracy are right, I will (still) be successful. For me, it doesn’t matter if someone tries to pick me using video analysis.”