New Delhi, June 5:
Switching formats in a short span of time is never easy, concedes Kuldeep Yadav and the senior India spinner hopes that players coming off a gruelling IPL season have prepared well for this week’s one-off Test against Afghanistan just as he did with extended red-ball practice.
Kuldeep’s franchise Delhi Capitals failed to make the IPL play-offs and he himself had an underwhelming season with only 10 wickets from 12 games. In an interview to PTI ahead of the Test beginning on Saturday, Kuldeep talked about how he had been personally doing net sessions for the past two weeks to get into the red-ball groove.
“It is tough when you switch from IPL cricket to red-ball cricket. Preparation becomes very necessary. Luckily, I got time. I practised for at least 10 to 15 days and got the feel of the red ball,” Kuldeep said in the exclusive interaction facilitated by series broadcasters ‘JioHotstar’.
“In T20, you are always attacking. You always think about going after the batter. You stay in the game with that mindset. But in Test cricket, it’s not like that. The batter has a lot of time.
“Some players are coming straight after the IPL final. They don’t have that much time. But I’m sure they have prepared well. So yes, it’s a challenge, but I’m confident that everyone is preparing themselves well,” he added.
For him, the other key aspects of Test preparation are patience and attention to detail.
“Consistency of bowling on a good length matter. That is a big challenge. Tactics matter a lot. Which angles you are bowling from, which crease position you are using, all these become very important.
“Small things like giving flight to the ball, deceiving the batter in the air, using the red ball well. There are many things, but for that you need time,” he said.
If Kuldeep plays the game, then for the first time in his career, he would neither have a Ravichandran Ashwin (now retired) nor a Ravindra Jadeja (rested) alongside him in the line-up.
Kuldeep acknowledged that the absence of Jadeja for this game and even Axar Patel would be felt but expressed confidence in rookies Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey’s ability to shine at the highest level.
“Yes, Jaddu bhai (Ravindra Jadeja) is not there, as he is a regular Test player. We will also miss Axar Patel in the Test match. But the preparations have been good,” he said.
“Many youngsters are here – Harsh, Manav. Washi (Washington Sundar) is also playing Test cricket quite regularly now, so he is well settled in the set-up.” The seasoned spinner is also well aware of his revamped role in the side and the added responsibility of helping the rookies. But instead of being a traditional mentor, he is looking to be a “partner” to Suthar and Dubey.
The 31-year-old wants to make sure that the new entrants feel comfortable in the set-up and wants them to pick his brains as and when they feel it is necessary.
“Whenever a new player joins the team, your job is to make him comfortable. You want him to see you as a partner. If he has any problem, he should feel free to talk to you, and you must be ready to support him,” “Right now, there is good bonding with two or three of the younger players. It feels good to have them around,” Kuldeep added.
For Kuldeep, the best way to integrate youngsters is by asking them relevant questions and getting a hang of their understanding of the game.
“We talk freely as a group, especially about the conditions. If I want to test the youngsters, then I ask them questions regarding their understanding of the pitch, the weather conditions, and how should the team approach the match.
“So, our conversations are mostly about basic tactics, what lengths to bowl, what pace works on this surface, and how spinners need to be patient in Test cricket. Patience is everything in this format,” the man with 365 international wickets across three formats said.
Dubey and Suthar might be newcomers but there preparation has been on point, according to Kuldeep.
“Over the last two years, these young players (Dubey and Suthar) have been part of India A tours. They are also playing the Duleep Trophy and Irani Trophy regularly,” he said.
“So, there might be a lack of international experience, but when it comes to preparation, match awareness, or red-ball cricket, they are absolutely on top because they are playing regularly.”