“I was a bit nervous”: Kuldeep Yadav avows to being tense before bowling in Test cricket after 22 months in Chattogram Test

Dixit Bhargav | 15/12/2022
"I was a bit nervous": Kuldeep Yadav avows to being tense before bowling in Test cricket after 22 months in Chattogram Test

It wouldn’t be wrong to state that spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the top performer from both the teams on the second day of the first Test match between Bangladesh and India in Chattogram today.

Been on the field for almost the full day, Yadav followed a career-best 40 (114) with the bat in hand with bowling figures of 10-3-33-4 to run through the Bangladeshi middle-order in the evening session.

Playing a Test match after 22 months, Yadav perhaps gained confidence from his time in the middle during a 92-run eighth-wicket partnership alongside all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin (58). In what wasn’t just another partnership, the Indian spin-duo doubtlessly put the team in a commanding position especially after batter Shreyas Iyer (86) was dismissed right at the start of Day 2.

“When I was batting, I thought that there was not much in it for the spinners. I didn’t face any discomfort while batting. I thought it’ll be good for batting,” Yadav told the host broadcaster after Stumps, Day 2.

Kuldeep Yadav avows to being tense before bowling in Test cricket after 22 months

Yadav, much like everyone else, was correct with his judgement about the pitch at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium. However, the left-arm spinner was still able to dictate terms to dismiss the likes of Shakib Al Hasan (3), Nurul Hasan (16), Mushfiqur Rahim (28) and Taijul Islam (0).

Yadav, whose wickets came via catches at first slip and short leg, lbw and bowled, was all over the Bangladeshi batters exposing their lack of experience while playing skillful chinaman bowlers. Having not received consistent opportunities across formats, Yadav expressed delight at returning with the aforementioned figures today.

“I was a bit nervous. I was very lucky to get the first wicket [Shakib] in the first over. Got the momentum back. After a couple of overs, I started feeling well, mixed my pace and variations, tried both the angles – over the wicket and round the wicket. I was getting proper turn. I was actually loving it,” Yadav added.

Post Edited By: Dixit Bhargav
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About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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