Was a big challenge to bowl to both AB de Villiers and Steve Smith, claims Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav has claimed that it was a huge challenge for him to go against the likes of AB de Villiers and Steve Smith in an Indian jersey. Kuldeep believes Smithās unorthodox technique makes him a tough customer to bowl to, and he also further credited de Villiers' unique batting style.
After making his Indian debut in 2017, Kuldeep Yadav became one of the key players in the national teamās setup, especially in white-ball cricket, and he featured for the side in the 2019 World Cup in England. However, post a disastrous match against England, in Birmingham, where he conceded 72 runs and picked up just one wicket, the left-arm unorthodox spinner was dropped from the Indian setup for the rest of the tournament and now finds himself in no man's land when it comes to the national side.
During his time before the prestigious tournament, the duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal had set the world on fire with their partnership. However, despite their dominance in limited-overs, Kuldeep reckoned that it was a huge challenge for him to bowl against two batsmen, in particular, AB de Villiers and Steve Smith. While AB de Villiers last played in 2018, incidentally in the series, where the KulCha duo struck a chord, he has bowled multiple times to Smith ever since. The left-armer pointed out that the Australian's technique, his ability to play the ball very late, makes him a tough customer to bowl to.
"Smith plays me mostly off the back foot. He plays the ball very late as well, so it becomes challenging to bowl to him," Yadav told Deep Dasgupta in the latest episode of Cricketbaazi on ESPNCricinfo.
The KKR spinner complimented the Proteas star, meanwhile, for his unique style of batting, which rendered effective against Kuldeep, himself, many times in the IPL.
āIn ODIs, AB de Villiers is a good player. He has a unique style. Now that heās retired, itās a good thing! But other than him, I havenāt found any other batsman who I am sacred will hit me for a lot of runs,ā he added.Ā