Kuldeep Yadav received accolades from former Indian cricketer Parthiv Patel for his outstanding comeback to Test cricket in the second match between India and England. Kuldeep Yadav foxed the batters with his witty variations and he was seen bowling quite wicket to wicket.
In Visakhapatnam, Kuldeep struck 3/71 in 17 overs during England’s first innings. In the second innings, he registered a spell of 1/60 in 15 overs, helping India win by 106 runs on Monday, February 5, to even the five-match series.
Kuldeep Yadav, who was not part of the playing XI in the first test, was included in the team for the second test match in place of Ravindra Jadeja, as he sustained a hamstring injury on the fourth day of the opening Test match against England last week in Hyderabad.
It’s difficult when you have to play Test matches after a gap – Parthiv Patel compliments Kuldeep Yadav’s performance
A former Indian cricketer acknowledged Kuldeep Yadav’s performance as he was returning to the test format after a gap. Kuldeep played his last test match in December 2022. Parthiv Patel was asked to share what he thought of Kuldeep’s performance in the second test during a conversation on Colors Cineplex. He stated:
“You can see the difference in his bowling. The ball didn’t use to go as fast off the wicket earlier. Now it’s going quickly and you are seeing more spin as well. It hasn’t been an easy journey for him as well. He performs every time and then he doesn’t get to play Test matches,”
In December 2022, Kuldeep’s last long-format match for India came in the first Test match against Bangladesh, when he was named Player of the Match. Despite taking eight wickets and scoring forty runs in India’s first innings, he was not given much attention in the rest of the match.
“It’s difficult when you have to play Test matches after a gap or to make comebacks. When you make comebacks, the expectations are still the same, because he was the Man of the Match in the last game and had taken five wickets,” Parthiv Patel added.
Kuldeep Yadav deceived Zak Crawley and beat him because of the zip – Parthiv Patel on dismissal of Crawley
In England’s second innings, Parthiv Patel noted that Kuldeep Yadav removed Zak Crawley with pace off the wicket. He expressed that the speed wasn’t that much in the air, but the ball went fast after pitching.
“Here, especially the way he dismissed Zak Crawley, I feel the speed wasn’t that much in the air but the ball went fast after pitching. So he outdid him there. So Kuldeep Yadav has that skill now,” he said.
The former cricket player and current broadcaster further stated that once he was tricked in the air, England’s leading run scorer in the second innings was unable to make a last-minute adjustment.
“The zip in Kuldeep’s bowling is the biggest improvement. The ball used to spin earlier as well. He used to deceive the batters also but the ball used to become slightly slow after pitching, but here he deceived him and beat him because of the zip as well. The batters used to adjust earlier,” Parthiv explained.
In order to prevent being struck on his pads, Parthiv Patel observed that Crawley had even opened up his stance. He continued by saying that it might be because of the over-the-wicket aspect and the fact that he was unable to pick Kuldeep.