IND v ENG, World Cup 2023: Kuldeep Yadav keen on contributing more with bat, talks up hard work in nets

Kuldeep Yadav picked up 2 wickets as the India bowlers hunted in packs to shoot out England for 129 in a sensational 100-run win over the defending champions in World Cup 2023. The left-arm wrist-spinner was on top form with the ball and also chipped in with the bat in a crucial partnership with Jasprit Bumrah as India’s tail wagged in Lucknow on a difficult batting pitch on Sunday.

Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah added 21 runs for the 9th wicket as India posted a competitive total of 229 for 9 in 50 overs. After been asked to bat for the first time in the tournament, India’s top-order stars Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer failed to get going as they fell for single-digit scores. However, captain Rohit Sharma took the onus upon himself, hitting a crucial 87 and stitching a 91-run stand with KL Rahul that helped India recover from the early jolts.

However, Rahul threw his wicket away for 39 after which Rohit also perished before the 40th over. Suryakumar Yadav, the extra batter in teh XI, chipped with with a crucial 49 while Bumrah and Kuldeep made sure India batted the full quota of 50 overs.

IND vs ENG, World Cup: Report | Highlights

Kuldeep, who has picked 10 wickets in 6 matches in World Cup 2023, spoke highly of the effort that he has been putting in with the bat at the nets.

Kuldeep said he wants to make sure he chips in with the bat whenever the team needed him and highlighted that the 9th-wicket partnership was crucial in giving the bowlers confidence against England.

“I am working hard on my batting and I am slowly contributing with the bat. I am trying to chip in with 10-15 runs and it will be helpful for the team. Today, in the end, we had a 25-run partnership and 230 became a good target that gave the bowlers confidence that, yes, we can defend this. It’s not like I am directly coming to the middle and batting, before that there is a lot of work I am putting in my batting in the nets. It clicks sometimes and it doesn’t, I get out,” Kuldeep told the press in Lucknow.

“We get batting only in the last 3-4 overs. Since we don’t think like batters, we take pressure when we face few dot balls,” he added.

“Yes, I have been working hard on my batting. Hopefully, in the coming matches, I want to chip in with 15-20 instead of 10.”

HOW KULDEEP COUNTERED DEW

Kuldeep said he had no problems bowling with the dew in the evening in Lucknow, saying he was preparing himself to manage such conditions throughout the year.

Kuldeep bowled a ripper to dismiss England captain Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone as England folded for 129 in 34.5 overs.

This full year I have played one day matches and bowled at night. I have played in Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka. I have always been prepared. I have played more one day cricket this year. There is no big change in bowling at night.

“I mean, there is only one factor of dew. As a bowler, you don’t want to bowl in dew because it’s easier to bat, but I don’t have a problem with bowling at night or during the day. If your batsmen score well, 300 plus, then bowling becomes a little easier,” he added.

“But yes, 100% this has been because of the preparation for the whole year and the way we played back-to-back bilateral series this year, our preparation for the World Cup, so there is no drastic change in bowling at night or in the day.”

India, who are on the cusp of semi-finals after 6 wins in as many matches, next face Sri Lanka on November 2 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.