Even as the other players were taking laps and getting themselves warmed up for the day’s proceedings, Kuldeep Yadav was busy going through an extended bowling session. Head coach Ravi Shastri was keeping a close eye on the bowler and stepped in on a couple of occasions with few tips to offer.
Kuldeep has been a unique case in Indian cricket. There was so much excitement around him when he made his debut and then Lord’s happened, He dropped out of favour when Sydney happened. He came back into prominence. However, with the Indian team playing in home conditions and with the fast bowlers being irresistible, he has fallen behind R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
As the players break for Lunch, Kuldeep is busy trying to find his mojo.
As the players went back in at Lunch, Kuldeep marched out with fielding coach R Sridhar, rooted two stumps and started bowling again. Soon, they were joined by Bharat Arun, the bowling coach and Ravi Shastri. Kuldeep kept bouncing in and kept landing the ball on a length getting it to spin back in.
Shastri stood close to the wicket, Arun stood close to Kuldeep and he was under close observation. He kept trying to land the ball on a length and kept trying to spin it back in a trait which Shastri seemed to ask him to focus on. Owing to the fleeting and fickle nature of T20s, bowlers resort to variations, but here, in order to win his Test spot back, Kuldeep was seen practising his stock delivery, the leg-spinner and yes, there was turn on offer and he was getting it.