Kuldeep Yadav shared his thoughts after he took five wickets against West Indies in the 2nd Test at Delhi.
India’s premier spinner Kuldeep Yadav delivered a mesmerizing bowling display, weaving his magic around the West Indies batting lineup to claim a spectacular five-wicket haul on Day 3 of the second Test in New Delhi. His figures of 5/82 orchestrated the visitors’ collapse for 248, handing India a commanding 270-run first-innings lead.
Speaking after his match-changing spell, Kuldeep opened up about his unique approach to the game. “I hardly think about the balls at the moment,” he revealed. “Whatever ball I get, I just have to bowl, and whatever format I play, just give my best. Taking a five-wicket haul after quite a long time was special. You have to create magic on the field – that’s what I always think about. It doesn’t matter if I play in 18 months or one month. That was very clear to me.”
The left-arm wrist-spinner, playing only his 15th Test since his 2017 debut, made every delivery count. Resuming from the previous evening, he expertly exploited the rough outside off-stump, mixing subtle variations in flight to completely bamboozle the West Indies batters. His mastery was evident when he clean-bowled a well-set Shai Hope with a delivery that straightened instead of turning, sending the off-stump cartwheeling.
The collapse was swift and decisive. From a relatively comfortable 156/4, West Indies crumbled to 248 all out, with Kuldeep accounting for Tevin Imlach, Justin Greaves, and Jayden Seales in quick succession. His clever use of the googly and drifting leg-breaks proved too much for the lower order to handle.
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Legendary spinner Anil Kumble was full of praise for Kuldeep’s performance. “Absolutely brilliant! I have always been a great admirer of Kuldeep Yadav, and despite limited opportunities, he consistently showcases his match-winning abilities. It is not easy to maintain rhythm and confidence without regular play, but Kuldeep seized this chance perfectly,” Kumble remarked on ‘Cricket Live’.
Despite India’s dominance, West Indies showed resilience in their second innings, with John Campbell (87*) and Shai Hope building a 138-run partnership to take the match into the fourth day. The visitors ended Day 3 at 173/2, still trailing by 97 runs, setting up an intriguing continuation of the Test match.
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