IND vs ZIM 2022: 'Kuldeep Yadav Confused Whether to Bowl Quick or Slow'

After an impressive IPL 2022 where he represented Delhi Capitals, Kuldeep Yadav hoped to carry his form into international cricket and was selected for T20I series against South Africa at home but an injury he picked while batting in the nets put paid to his hopes. He had a big wicket to his name, he dismissed Sikandar Raza, who is a good player.

Kuldeep eventually missed out the England tour as well but then recovered in time for the white-ball matches against West Indies. He played in just one game during the tour but left quite an impression with figures of 3/12 in the fifth and final T20I. As he continued, “There were quite a few boundaries scored off him. He was expensive, conceded the most runs if we talk about the bowlers, gave 49 runs in eight overs.

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Kuldeep should try to go for wickets rather than saving his economy

He then made the cut for the ongoing short tour of Zimbabwe and has played in both the ODIs so far. In the first match, despite bowling well, he went wicketless. In the second contest though, he picked up a wicket but was expensive. Leaking 49 runs in eight overs even as Zimbabwe were skittled for 161.

Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif pins this down to Kuldeep’s confused state of mind as he’s unable to decide whether to bowl quick or slow. “He is a bit confused whether to bowl quick or slow,” Kaif said on Sony Sports. “He has this new strategy to bowl fast, he wants to keep the speed around 90 kph. There were times when the balls were pitched short. So (Sean) Williams played the pull shots and when he flighted the ball, he was driven.”

However, Kaif feels that Kuldeep will continue getting better if he’s given more matches. “He missed a caught-and-bowled chance and for that, he will be disappointed. However, the rhythm is visible (in his bowling). He did bowl well against the West Indies and will get better as he plays more matches. He hasn’t been playing regularly,” he said.