Wiser but older Kuldeep Yadav feels upset even now by the time he squandered at KKR

Kuldeep Yadav, a spinner for DC, has shared details about his time at KKR for the first time. Due to his subpar bowling, Kuldeep had a terrible experience with the squad and was finally cut. Throughout 2019 and 2021, the spinner’s confidence was at an all-time low. The spinner, who was also dealing with ailments at the time, triumphantly returned to the IPL after moving to Delhi and playing under Rishabh Pant’s leadership.

Since then, Kuldeep has been brilliant, taking 41 wickets in 33 IPL games since the 2022 season. The spinner spoke candidly about his stint at KKR and expressed sorrow for his immaturity at the time. Kuldeep faced criticism for bowling too slowly when he was with KKR, which made his bounce and turn ineffectual as a wrist spinner.

“I required direction when I worked at KKR, but now that I set the conditions, I don’t need it. Mahi bhai, the national team guru of MS Dhoni, had retired in 2019, and I was in need of direction. Regarding his achievements over the previous 1.5 years, Kuldeep said, “The idea that I have now has come with experience.”

I HOPE TO GO BACK TO KKR: KULDEEP

“I still regret my time in KKR (from 2016–2020) and feel like whatever I am doing now, I wish I could have done it back then,” Kuldeep said at a DC-organized media event.

Kuldeep said, “It still hurts me that I could have dominated even more if I had worked on those skills back then.”

The spinner acknowledged that his lack of experience contributed to his failure but also said that it improved him as a player going forward.

However, it didn’t occur at the time since experience is something that comes from playing a lot. Failure in life teaches you something, and as a result, I am now more certain of my abilities while also appreciating that resistance may be constructive,” the spinner remarked.

Throughout the years, maturity has proven to be beneficial to him.

“I didn’t do (respect opponents) that back in the day. I had faith in my abilities, but I also realized that you had to take into account the batter’s game, my level of maturity, my strength, and where I should bowl to make it hard to hit. I’m working on that, Kuldeep said.

Throughout the 2024 season, the spinner has been in tremendous form. With five matches under his belt, Kuldeep has amassed 10 wickets and is vying for the purple hat.