Don’t have to prove to anyone that I was not dependent on MS Dhoni, states Kuldeep Yadav

Don’t have to prove to anyone that I was not dependent on MS Dhoni, states Kuldeep Yadav

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Kuldeep spoke about his bond with Dhoni

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Kuldeep Yadav, who formed an impeccable bond with MS Dhoni when the duo played together in white-ball matches, has stated that there is no reason for him to prove to people that he is a quality bowler even without Dhoni’s presence. Kuldeep also revealed that he is eager to return to the Test side.

After making his ODI debut in 2017, Kuldeep Yadav enjoyed enormous success in the first three years of his career, with him picking up a remarkable 99 wickets in just 56 games, establishing himself as a mainstay in the white-ball side. While Kuldeep’s partnership during that phase with fellow spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is well documented, another impenetrable bond the wrist-spinner enjoyed was his connection with former Indian skipper MS Dhoni. 

The wicket-keeper was often seen giving tips and instructions to Kuldeep and their bond peaked in the 2019 ODI series versus New Zealand when Kuldeep scalped wickets of tail-enders by just listening to Dhoni’s instruction.

Now, ever since Dhoni’s departure from the side, Kuldeep’s form, too, has tumbled, with him having picked up just 5 wickets in 4 ODIs this year, but the 25-year-old is of the opinion that he does not need to prove or show anyone that he is not too dependent on Dhoni.

“Of course. Mahi bhai has always guided me, because the wicketkeeper is always the best judge of the bowler. Someone like Mahi bhai is experienced and has an idea about how a batsman plays. All of this is teamwork,” Kuldeep told TOI.

“Just because Mahi bhai hasn’t played after the World Cup, I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. I don’t need to say if I was dependent on him. I can just work towards bettering my craft and as I said, it’s teamwork.”

Having not played together with Chahal since the World Cup, the left-arm wrist-spinner spoke about his partnership with leggie and admitted that sometimes decisions would need to be made keeping in mind the team’s necessities. 

“Wrist spin is not that easy. Chahal and I have bonded well for years. After the World Cup we haven’t played together because it depends on the selection and team combination. You’ve got to be flexible with the team’s requirements,” Kuldeep spoke of his bond with Chahal.

Incidentally, Kuldeep’s international debut came in the longest format and in his last outing with the red-ball, the left-arm wrist-spinner picked up an impeccable five-wicket haul versus the Aussies. However, having not played a Test for over a year and a half now, the 25-year-old stated that he is hungry to don the whites, but admitted that the team’s needs always come first.

“You always want to go out there and play. But you have to work on your craft irrespective of your place in the playing XI. I hope to put in my best and deliver when I get an opportunity. For me, it’s always the team before self.”

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