Kuldeep Yadav Confident Of Performing Well in World Cup Despite Poor IPL Form

Kuldeep Yadav has been one of the top bowlers for India across formats right since making his international debut and he is all set for a big test at World Cup 2019, where he and Yzvendra Chahal will be the lead spinners. Prior to the tournament, each and every World Cup-bound player showed his form in IPL but Kuldeep Yadav suffered a form slump, that came as a big worry.

In fact, he was also dropped from the playing XI. Piyush Chawla was the sole spinner in few matches. Kuldeep’s poor IPL form might have given worry to the Indian team management as well but as per the chinaman bowler, he is not worried about his IPL form and hopes to perform well in World Cup that kicks off later this month.

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“See, the IPL is a T20 format which is quite different from the 50-over World Cup. I may not have got much success for KKR, but then, it was not like I was bowling poorly, like bowling long hops or full tosses. I was bowling with my usual rhythm. It’s just that the KKR team management thought I was not fitting in their plans,” he told mid-day.

“Moreover, there were flat pitches at our home ground [Eden Gardens] and the boundaries too were short. It will be different in England. The teams will be different, the teammates will be different. Thus, I am confident of playing a major role for Team India in the World Cup,” he further added.

Kuldeep Yadav just played nine IPL matches this season in which he scalped four wickets at 71.50, giving away runs at an economy rate of 8.66. His dry run in nine matches also saw him sit on the bench.

But as Kuldeep said, the things will be totally different in England. He and Chahal have remained first-choice spinners in the limited-overs format since 2017 and are expected to shoulder the responsibility in World Cup as well. Stats also reveal that when the duo operates in tandem, they scalp more wickets in the middle overs.

India have included Ravindra Jadeja in World Cup squad as well but he might find it difficult to make it to the playing XI. He does have an edge over Kuldeep and Chahal when it comes to batting and fielding but in bowling, both the wrist spinners are ahead of Jadeja.

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There can also be a case when the three players might be included in playing XI at the same time but one off Kuldeep Yand Chahal will be dropped if captain goes for Jadeja due to his batting and fielding.

Other than his spot, all the spots are almost filled. There is still doubt over the fitness of Kedar Jadhav and an update on him might be out before May 22, when India fly to England for the tournament.