Kuldeep enjoys Caribbean conditions as a Super Eight specialist

India spinner delighted with her return to beginning XI for Super Eight after sitting out in the opening round

After a long time waiting for the next stage, Kuldeep Yadav continued to be a Super Eight specialist, taking 3-19 in India’s sweeping victory in the series against Bangladesh at Antigua.

Kuldeep has taken five wickets in India’s 2 Super Eight matches, after scoring two for 32 in the match in the match against Afghanistan during the day on Thursday. Barbados.

India kept Kuldeep back during the Caribbean part of the tournament due to the belief that the pitch would be suited to his left-handed wristspin better than the pitches that are used in the USA. He also admitted that he would love to participate in the group stage, the fact that he was sure once he returned to the Caribbean islands, where he made his debuts in white ball for India during the 2017 West Indies tour, his experience would be a factor.

“I was helping out the team-mates and carrying the drinks [in the US]. That is more like playing,” said Kuldeep. “I would have loved to bowl there. But it’s more like an Australian sort of wicket. But here I made my T20 [and] ODI debut back in 2017. I knew the conditions very well, just the length and trying to vary my pace. So it’s perfect for spinners to come here and bowl.”

There was a good justification for bringing Kuldeep to the side on Caribbean surfaces and bowlers, playing their first match in a competitive way at such a late time, and at an important point in the T20 World Cup is unusual. However, Kuldeep claimed the he did not feel any extra pressure when playing in his very first game during the tournament in the Super Eight stage.

“It’s very important to play every game, take every game as a normal game. Now obviously we playing at Super Eight, obviously we have a lot of pressure as well. We’re going to play Australia in a couple of days’ time. The wickets are good for spinners, as you have seen in the last few games as well. Nothing changes. I’ve got four overs to bowl and that was my plan. Just sticking with the length and varying my pace. For me it’s nice.”

In the middle phase of bowling, Kuldeep went wicketless in the first over but hit in each of his subsequent three. He stunned Tanzid Hadan by a frenzied googly that was a bit off the mark and then smashed into the front pad, before hitting Towhid Hridoy by a straight shot that hit in the pad behind. When Shakib Al Hasan was slog-swept by a looping delivery in the sixth over, Kuldeep tossed another one to try and tempt the opposition however the slower speed and additional bounce resulted in an edge on the top and third wicket.

Kuldeep bowled four overs at his Sir Andy Roberts End which offered help to left-handed batters who hit into the wind from the leg side and also helped right-handed players outside the stumps they were off. While the strong cross breeze was a challenge but he also advised not to dwell on the impact of it.

“It was difficult at the perspective of a spinner since my rhythm is it’s not like a running rhythm It’s more of one step and then a more aggressive. I didn’t consider the wind, only the length is important. It’s also obvious that I am reading into the batter’s thoughts about what they’re looking for from me, and just taking a step ahead of what they’re thinking. This is why I was keeping this in mind, and adjusting the length and line, and clearly they were looking at the windy side and reacting to what they were doing.

“When the other team needs 10 runs or 12 runs per over and the batter’s going against you my plan is to just stick with the length, and obviously when they try to attack you, if you have a proper plan against them and you are bowling in probably the better length, you have maximum chances of getting the batter out. So that is my thinking, not thinking I have to get him out, just the length.”