Hattrick was best gift on Navratras: Kuldeep’s family
As soon as Kuldeep started getting success, it transformed my life. Now I get recognised, and for any father such appreciation is a matter of pride.
RAM SINGH, on Kuldeep’s success
LUCKNOW: In sheer frustration, Kuldeep Yadav’s mother Usha Devi quit watching the IndiaAustralia ODI after seeing no success for her son in his initial overs on Thursday night.
Instead, she started worshipping goddess Durga as part of evening rituals on the first day of Navratra in the other room of her Kanpur home. But soon she heard Kuldeep getting a hattrick.
“It was quite frustrating for me watching Kuldeep get no success in his early overs, so I went to worship Durga Mata in the other room. The goddess heard my voice and soon things began to change,” Usha Devi told Hin- dustan Times.
“I didn’t see him (Kuldeep) taking all three wickets live. I saw it (replay) only after the family members started celebrating. I didn’t believe this initially, but soon I realised that it had actually happened.
“It’s all because of God’s grace and it was the biggest gift to my son and my family on Navratras,” she said before adding that the festive season arrived sooner for family and neighbours.
“Everyone was a bit disappointed after Kuldeep was hit for consecutive sixes in the first match at Chennai, and we were praying for his success. He (Kuldeep) is a brave cricketer and we are hoping he does well in future games too.”
Kuldeep’s father Ram Singh Yadav said, “I knew nothing about cricket earlier. But as soon as Kuldeep started getting success, it transformed my life too. Now I get recognised by people, and for any father such an appreciation is a matter of pride,” said Ram Singh.
Kuldeep, who became the third Indian bowler to take a hattrick in ODIS after Chetan Sharma and Kapil Dev, got a hattrick against Scotland in the Under-19 World Cup in 2014 in Dubai.
“Ever since he made the senior India side, I was expecting a repeat of hat-trick, but not against a big team like Australia,” his coach Kapil Pandey told HT on Friday.
“His (Kuldeep) style of bowling always keeps batsmen guessing. Certainly he looked disappointed after being hit for three sixes in a row in the opening match. But I told him to concentrate on line and length,” said the coach before adding, “He (Kuldeep) never lets aggression show on his face. But he shows it in his performances.”