Watch: Kuldeep Yadav's first international six brings a smile to Shubman Gill's face on Day 4 of Rajkot Test

Indian lower-order batter Kuldeep Yadav smashed a brilliant six on Day 4 of the ongoing third Test match against England. Shubman Gill, positioned at the non-striker’s end, was impressed by Kuldeep Yadav’s well-executed shot against Tom Hartley in the first session.

Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 104 before the stumps on the second day of the match. Jaiswal was forced to retire-hurt after his hundred due to back pain. Rohit Sharma, who scored a hundred in the first innings, managed to score 19 runs off 28 deliveries.

Kuldeep Yadav came to the crease just before stumps on Day 3, following the dismissal of Rajat Patidar. The left-handed batter managed to bat through the final session without losing his wicket. He faced 15 deliveries and scored 3 runs as India ended the day at 196/2.

Watch – Kuldeep Yadav’s Six Bring Smile To Shubman Gill’s Face

The 29-year-old cricketer showcased his batting prowess, launching a six off Tom Hartley’s delivery. The ball, pitched full on the leg stump, was confidently slogged over the cow corner fence by Yadav. His well-executed shot brought a smile to Shubman Gill’s face.

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Kuldeep Yadav and Shubman Gill forged a 50-run partnership for the third wicket, aiding the team in extending their total to over 370 runs. Kuldeep appeared to be in good form with the bat, scoring comfortably against the English bowlers in India’s second innings.

India’s bowlers, led by Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja, delivered a remarkable performance on Day 3. The home team bowled out England for 319 runs despite their solid start at 207/2. Ben Duckett played an outstanding knock of 153 runs, while skipper Ben Stokes contributed 41 runs. The visiting team lost eight wickets for just 95 runs.

Team Management Trust Me As A Nightwatchman – Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav expressed his enjoyment of the responsibility as a nightwatchman, highlighting the team’s trust in his defensive capabilities. He mentioned that he has been promoted in the batting order on a couple of occasions.

“So far it’s been going well. Of course, it’s a team decision. They trust me as a nightwatchman because I am very good with defence. I have got promoted in a couple of innings, so I am very happy about it,” Yadav told Dinesh Karthik in an interview on Jio Cinema.

The Uttar Pradesh-born player was also promoted in the batting order ahead of wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel and all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin in the first innings of the match. He managed to score four runs off 24 deliveries before being dismissed on Day 2.

The southpaw has a decent batting record in first-class cricket, having scored 927 runs in 48 innings at an average of 22.07 and a strike rate of 41, with a best score of 117. The 29-year-old cricketer has smashed one century and six half-centuries in his red-ball career.

Also read: “Kuldeep Yadav is a good spinner to have against Bazball” – Sanjay Manjrekar ahead of 3rd Test