ICC World Cup 2019 | I have a nervous excitement to play in such a big event, says Kuldeep Yadav

When the bowling plans will be formulated in the dressing room for the Men in Blue, a crucial name that will pop us as an integral part of the team is that of Kuldeep Yadav. Ever since becoming a regular starter after India's 2017 Champions Trophy final loss, Kuldeep Yadav has been India’s most successful spin bowler along with partner Yuzvendra Chahal in the white-ball format of the game, even though his latest IPL campaign did not back up the said fact.

“People are saying I was bowling badly, but I actually did not give away many runs other than that over where I went for 25 runs (against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Kolkata). Before that, I think my economy was about 7.3, which is acceptable in T20. And that, too, bowling on the Eden wicket,” Yadav said.

Yadav only played nine matches the entire season, managing to pick up only 4 wickets before he was eventually dropped.

“It’s just that when you are not taking wickets, these things get highlighted. When you are taking wickets regularly, no one talks at all. If your team doesn’t pick you, everyone says the season did not go well. That actually did not make a difference to me,” Yadav added.

Regardless of domestic form, he has almost always excelled in the blue jersey, with his 6/25 immediately springing to mind when you think of him bowling on England’s flat pitches. With such an excellent track record, Yadav must be raring to go again.

“Last year, I just played in three ODIs. This time I will have more time to showcase my skills. Of course, it will be a challenge and there will be pressure, considering it’s the World Cup. I have a nervous excitement to play in such a big event for the first time,” he explained.

Kuldeep Yadav also revealed the change in strategy required when bowling in a fifty over match as compared to a twenty over one.

“If you try something and you get hit, you can’t do anything. He (Kohli) did hit me for a couple of good fours. In T20 cricket, I don’t attack too much because you can get hit on a flat wicket. You need to bowl tight. But in ODIs, when you get hit, the plan is to figure out how to force the batsman to rotate the strike so you can bowl at the second batsman to create pressure,” said Kuldeep. 

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