Latest news with #Kuldeep
Indian Express
a day ago
- Climate
- Indian Express
Leeds Test preview: With Kuldeep Yadav toiling hard in the nets, and dry conditions expected, will India be tempted to take a punt?
At the less-crowded of the two nets at Headingley, three Indian players, not sure of their spot in the playing XI for the first Test of the series, trained hard, giving it their all. Opener Abhimanyu Easwaran faced the left-armers – wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and pacer Arshdeep Singh. Their intense battle, interspersed with constant banter and point-making, was watched by batting coach Sitanshu Kotak. This group was far away from the other busier net, where B Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair – more likely to play in the series opener that starts on Friday – were batting under coach Gautam Gambhir's watch. And while the training session wheels moved with their usual monotonous rhythm, the sun was out in full glory, giving the Indians a 'home away from home' feel and also some unwanted doubts and dilemmas. It's unsettling when you are at Headingley, but the place reminds you of Chepauk. Shubman Gill, addressing his first pre-Test match conference as captain, could feel the heat despite the stadium's central cooling. 'This summer has been different from other English summers and the wickets have been pretty dry. We will have to take the call on the team combination after having one last look at the pitch,' he says. While Shubman spoke, outside on the ground, the all-important 22-yard was getting baked, the temperature hovering in the mid-30s. If the security personnel at the gate, Lahore boy Arshad's advice of 'topi laazmi hai yahan kyon ki idhar ki garmi chubhti jyada hai (you need to wear a cap since this heat is more prickly here),' was to be believed, this was easily 40 degrees. Sweating under the virtual 40 degree heat was Kanpur boy Kuldeep. He was in his elements, and with every dream ball he was ruining Easwaran's chances of getting into the playing XI. Just before the series, Kuldeep, in an Indian Express Idea Exchange, had been amused by a question about what the new captain Shubman needs to do in England. True to Kanpur's tradition of chikai – light-hearted leg-pulling – he said: 'Bus itna hi bolunga ki mujhko saare match khilaana. (I will tell him to play me in all the Tests),' he said. Too clever and proud a cricketer to approach the captain with this request, he was dropping hints at the nets. After Easwaran was through with his not-too-convincing session, the captain came to take guard. The batting quality suddenly saw a spike. The drives on the off-side got crisper and the pulls more powerful. Kuldeep would go around-the-wicket to test the captain with the ball that he gets to drift outside off-stump. Shubman would lean and drive, and even if there was a wide long off and extra-cover, the ball would have bisected them. Kuldeep wasn't giving up, he made one to turn sharply towards the slip from a rough. The captain missed and Kuldeep held his head and leaped, squealing on how he had missed the stumps by a whisker. Batting coach Kotak didn't agree; he spread his hands about a foot, indicating the distance by which he missed the clean bowled. It was Kuldeep's turn to disagree but there was consensus around the nets that it was a great ball. Dry pitch, no nip in the air – that must be Kuldeep's idea of a cricket paradise. Leeds, at least on Thursday, had it all. Being a left-handed wrist spinner, something the world isn't used to facing, was another factor that the Kuldeep backers would be listing at the team meeting to pick the playing XI. But what can tragically go against Kuldeep is the three batsmen he shared the nets with on this optional pre-match training day. What might see the spinner missing the cut in Leeds wouldn't be his skills but the lack of international experience of India's batting department, read Sai, Karun and Easwaran. With a batting unit slim on experience, India is expected to go with Ravindra Jadeja, the better batsman who would be an insurance cover for that early-tour batting collapse, an old Indian tradition. Kuldeep insists these days that he has improved as a batsman but Jadeja's numbers in Tests are a cut above. So when Kuldeep had bowled for close to an hour, he didn't call it a day. Net bowlers were called, some of them were getting hydrated in the stands thinking their day was over. Kuldeep wanted to face both spinners and pacers. 💬 💬 It's the biggest honour a player can get. Shubman Gill shares his thoughts on becoming #TeamIndia's Test captain.#ENGvIND | @ShubmanGill — BCCI (@BCCI) June 19, 2025 Shubman, by then, had finished nets and watched the spinner bat. After a comment on one of his lofted shots that almost took down a cameraman outside the boundary rope, he left. Coach Kotak, after a while, asked Kuldeep if he was through. No, said Kuldeep, he wanted to continue. He has too sharp a cricketing brain not to know what he needs to do to get into the playing XI abroad. In the lead-up to this Test series, the talk has been about the new batters who have taken the place of the recently retired batting stars – Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. However, equally important is to pick the right bowling combination. Leeds presents the new captain a chance to take a punt, which can be re-labelled as an inspired selection decision in a few days. But can the Leeds weather be trusted? There's an important cricket wisdom that's popular in these parts. They say that before making a decision in Leeds, one should first look up, then down, and up one more time – sky, pitch and sky again. On Thursday, in case one dared to stare at the clear blue bright sky with squinted eyes, there was a strong possibility that the names of Jadeja and Kuldeep would have been spotted.
NDTV
a day ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Not Jasprit Bumrah, Ex-England Star Names Surprise Trump Card Bowler For India: "Could Be Series-Defining..."
India head into their five-match away Test series against England vying to win a Test series there for the first time since 2007. Led by Shubman Gill, a slightly new-look India will be aiming to dismantle the 'Bazball' style of the England team, pioneered by captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. India have a big headache, in the fact that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is likely to play only three out of the five Tests. However, former England opener Nick Knight threw another name into the hat, as India's possible trump card during the series. "I would be looking for every opportunity to play Kuldeep Yadav. England will find it hard against Kuldeep. If Kuldeep is on top of his game, that could be a defining moment in the series, or moments, because England likes to be aggressive," Knight said, speaking to The Indian Express. Kuldeep Yadav's skilset offers India a different option to what they already have. A left-arm chinaman, Kuldeep could cause damage to an England batting lineup that has often appeared uncomfortable against spin. "When you want to be aggressive, you have to be certain about which way the ball is turning. If there is a little bit of assistance from the pitch, Kuldeep will be able to bowl all his varieties," Knight said. Knight also had some words of advice for India's new Test captain Shubman Gill, particularly on his technique. "I always highlight the same thing, really. Sometimes with Shubman, more so when you're sort of a little lacking in confidence and striving for things a little bit for your form, sometimes that front leg just pushes across a little bit too much," Knight said, speaking to PTI. "Therefore, the rotation of the body and accessing the ball and playing around that front pad. But of late, I haven't seen that quite so much, if I'm brutally honest," Knight stated. "It becomes more important when you've got a left-armer coming over the wicket and swinging it back into the pads. That's something that he will probably be always aware of," Knight added. Knight pointed out a common Achilles' heel that the Indian batters would need to be wary of while going up against the English pacers. "That line outside off stump, again, will be the challenge for all these top-order players, particularly in England. The first Test between India and England begins on June 20.
Pink Villa
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Throwback: When Kuldeep Yadav slapped Rinku Singh twice, what actually happened during DC vs KKR IPL match?
What happened after the Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders IPL match on April 29, 2025, sent shockwaves through cricket fans. A month ago, a 9-second clip surfaced showing Kuldeep Yadav slapping Rinku Singh not once, but twice, during what appeared to be a casual conversation. Rinku appeared stunned, even uncomfortable. Almost immediately, social media erupted as fans cried foul. Commentators stayed silent, unsure of what they were seeing. But just one day later, both players took to the KKR's social media to set the record straight. The playful video quickly flipped the script on what millions thought was a serious incident. Caught on camera and misread by millions The drama took place in Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, just after Kolkata secured a 14-run win. Rinku had played a gritty 36-run in 25 balls, contributing to KKR's formidable 204/9 total. As reported by ANI, Kuldeep had meanwhile had a quiet night—no wickets, 27 runs leaked in three overs. After the final ball, Kuldeep and Rinku were seen chatting with teammates. Then, out of nowhere, Kuldeep slapped Rinku. Once. Then again. Rinku's expression shifted. The clip ended abruptly, and without audio for context, it went viral on the internet. Outrage followed as fans blasted Kuldeep's "worst behaviour" while some called for a ban. Others pointed to Rinku's visible discomfort, claiming he looked close to tears. Online threads boiled over with comments like 'Rinku toh rone wala tha' and 'Bhai ka rone jesa muh hogyaa.' KKR responds with a laugh and receipts By the next morning, KKR shut down the firestorm with a perfectly timed Instagram reel. Titled 'Media vs Reality! Gehri Dosti feat. our talented UP boys', the clip showed Kuldeep and Rinku laughing, throwing up the 'love' hand sign, and joyfully teasing each other with 'Kaise hota hai?' as 'Yeh Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge' played in the background. The video ended with old pictures of the two from their domestic cricket days, undeniable proof of their long-standing friendship. As reported by ANI, the pair shrugged off the speculation. The slap? Just a playful jab between old friends. Misread by millions.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Shubman Gill told to unleash Bumrah on Joe Root, but that won't be 'defining moment': 'If he's on top of his game...'
Barring that one-off face-off in Birmingham three years ago, India are yet to truly taste Bazball in England. And that's what makes the impending five-match series a "mouth-watering contest"—particularly with the famed approach set to clash against the most lethal Test bowler of the modern era: Jasprit Bumrah. However, former England batter Nick Knight believes the "defining moment" of the series may lie elsewhere. In a conversation with The Indian Express, Knight broke down how England's batters might counter Bumrah, but pointed to one duel as the key battle—Bumrah vs Joe Root. He even advised Shubman Gill, India's new Test captain, to unleash Bumrah specifically on Root. "My gut feeling is that if this contest were happening two years ago or a year ago, England would look to take Bumrah down by being ultra-aggressive. Now, it might be that they absorb the spell from Bumrah. As a general rule, would they be ultra-aggressive against Bumrah? Probably not. I don't think England are going to go into their team meetings and say, right, let's take on Bumrah. I mean, there probably will be one spell when they do, because he might not be feeling great, the wicket might be flat. Root versus Bumrah is going to be the battle. If I were Gill, I would probably make Bumrah bowl as many balls in the series to Joe Root," he said. Bumrah has played nine Tests in England, where he picked 37 wickets at 26.27, with two five-wicket hauls. Despite Bumrah's prowess, Knight felt the game-changer for India could be Kuldeep Yadav. His comment came even amid uncertainty over the leg-spinner's spot in the playing XI, with India likely to pick Ravindra Jadeja as the sole spinner. In fact, he suggested playing Kuldeep ahead of Jadeja in the line-up. "It is quite warm, sunny and humid here in the UK. So the pitches are going to be very dry, potentially. Historically, at Edgbaston, you see a turn. At Old Trafford, you get a bounce and turn. I would be surprised if England don't play Shoaib Bashir if the pitches stay dry. India will very likely play Ravindra Jadeja, but I would be looking for every opportunity to play Kuldeep Yadav. England will find it hard against Kuldeep. If Kuldeep is on top of his game, that could be a defining moment in the series, or moments, because England likes to be aggressive. When you want to be aggressive, you have to be certain about which way the ball is turning. If there is a little bit of assistance from the pitch, Kuldeep will be able to bowl all his varieties," he added. The five-match contest will begin on June 20 in Leeds. India will be aiming to win their first Test series in England since 2007.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Jordan Warns Israel-Iran Escalation Could Spiral, Threaten Mideast And Beyond: King Abdullah
Kuldeep Yadav hints at spin-friendly wicket ahead of England Test series Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav believes spin could play a key role in the upcoming Test series in England, citing noticeable turn and bounce during practice sessions. Reflecting on the recent intra-squad match, he observed that while seamers initially found assistance due to moisture, the surface began to aid spinners more later. Kuldeep emphasised the importance of match simulation through intra-squad games, especially for players like him who've been playing T20 cricket. 'Volume is important,' he said, stressing that both pacers and spinners need to build their workload, bowling 15–20 overs to prepare for the demands of Test cricket. 207.3K views | 2 days ago
