Pune, Oct 23 : In-form India spinner Kuldeep Yadav believes a more relaxed approach to his bowling is allowing him to prosper at the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Speaking with host Brian Murgatroyd on the latest episode of The ICC Review podcast, Kuldeep revealed he is a much more mature bowler now to the one that made his World Cup debut in 2019.
Kuldeep claimed a total of six wickets from seven appearances at his inaugural World Cup and has already exceeded that haul with eight scalps through India’s unbeaten run of five matches as tournament hosts this year.
The left-armer headed into the World Cup on the back of picking up the Player of the Tournament award at the Asia Cup and is maintaining his strong form with at least one wicket in each of India’s first five games at the World Cup.
Kuldeep credits a new approach at the bowling crease for his rich vein of form and a more relaxed lifestyle outside of cricket as the confidence booster that has him among the first players picked in India’s first-choice ODI XI.
“I’m not thinking too much about other things to be honest,” Kuldeep said on the latest episode of The ICC Review podcast.
“I don’t think so much. I watch other sports. I don’t fear failure too much now. I don’t think too much about the fact that if I don’t perform, what will happen.
“I keep working on my things, on improving my bowling and I try to think about the skills that are in my hand and are in my control.
“I’m not thinking about how the batter is playing. I work on what I can do as a bowler, so perhaps, that is what makes me relaxed.”
Kuldeep grew up as a pacer and idolised Pakistan legend and fellow left-armer Wasim Akram as a youngster and was only converted into becoming a spinner when advised by his coach to try and emulate Australia great Shane Warne.
He revealed Shane Warne would often provide him with advice about spin bowling prior to his death last year and that he still watched old videos of the former Australia spinner in an attempt to gain that extra piece of inspiration.
“If there is any doubt (with how I am bowling), I look at his old action,” Kuldeep said.
“I feel I am very lucky to have spent some time with him and to have been his good friend.
“Because I used to watch him on the television and observed how he used to dismiss batsmen and his planning.
“He was quite strong mentally. When I played in Sydney, he helped me quite a bit. I learnt my bowling from him and he is the person I have followed forever.”
