Kolkata: Indian cricket team’s newest hat-trick club member Kuldeep Yadav said Thursday that had he bowled the traditional left-arm wrist-spinner’s delivery, which comes into a right-hander, he possibly wouldn’t have completed the coveted milestone.
Kuldeep dismissed Matthew Wade, Ashton Agar and Pat Cummins. The last player edged a wrong ‘un which Mahendra Singh Dhoni snapped up in a flash.
“For the hat-trick ball, I didn’t think I would get a wicket if the ball spun in. The only way in that scenario would have been a bat-pad opportunity. There was a slip in place so I chose the wrong ‘un,” Kuldeep told senior teammate Bhuvneshwar Kumar during a customary post-match interview conducted by ‘bcci.tv’.
Recalling the moments when he was about to let go the all important delivery, Kuldeep said he asked Dhoni how he should bowl. “I asked Mahi bhai, what should I bowl. He said ‘tujhe jaisa bhi lagta hai, woh daal (bowl the way you want to)’. I was very happy that he backed me,” Kuldeep pointed out.
Kuldeep said that it was difficult to grip the ball initially which is the reason he went for a few runs in his first spell but things turned for the better after a change of ends.
“It feels really special now, as that start was not good. I never thought I would end up taking a hat-trick. I did not bowl well from one end and it was getting difficult to grip the ball as it was getting wet,” Kuldeep pointed out.
“When my end was changed, I wanted to pick one wicket to put the pressure back on Australia. It was crucial for us to get a breakthrough at that stage. I wanted to try out my variations, but more than that was looking to land the ball in the right areas,” the 22-year-old from UP added.
The familiarity with Eden Gardens surface having played last three seasons for Kolkata Knight Riders has given him a fair idea. “Yes, I was aware about the conditions having been a part of the KKR squad for three seasons, but most importantly, I wanted to do well and leave an imprint,” the bowler asserted.
Agencies
