Kuldeep Yadav (India player) post-match Press Conference - 22nd June 2024
[Reporter:]
This Super 8 specialist gig you've got seems to be going pretty well. What's it been like to come in and have such a huge impact at a crucial part of the tournament?
[Kuldeep Yadav:]
It's very important to play every game, take every game as a normal game. Now obviously we playing at Super 8, obviously we have a lot of pressure as well. We're going to play Australia in a couple of days' time. The wickets are good for spinners, as you have seen in the last few games as well. Nothing changes. We got four overs, I especially got four overs to bowl and that was my plan. Just sticking with the length and varying my pace. Yeah, for me it's nice.
[Reporter:]
Can you talk about what you did do well out there, what has been working? Because it looked like you were almost changing your release points as well. And how much have you taken the wind into consideration? Is it helping you with drift or what have you done to make the most of these conditions, particularly when if you get it wrong and can get it into the wind.
[Kuldeep Yadav:]
Obviously, I was bowling from this end, the wind was like crossing this way. It was difficult from this end - as a spinner because my rhythm is like, not like running rhythm, It's more like a one step and then aggressive. So, but yeah, I mean, I didn't thought about the wind, just the length matter. And obviously reading the batter what they are expecting from me, just reading one step ahead, what they are thinking. So just keeping keep in mind and this changing the line and length, and obviously they were targeting the wind side and just reacting what they are doing.
[Reporter:]
The experience of bowling in Kotla, which is a small stadium like Chinnaswamy, where the spinners always come under the pump. So how much that has helped or has it actually helped you?
[Kuldeep Yadav:]
IPL is totally different, boss. I'll let you know - that it's totally different. What you experience in IPL is what you are experiencing in T20 World Cup. And obviously when most of the guys played in Kotla, Kotla is the smallest ground in India. So obviously wicket helps there for spinners. And yes, sometimes you get the bigger boundary. It's very nice to have in your favour. But at the same time, for any spinners around the globe, the length matters a lot. And especially in this format, you have to read what the batter are trying to do, but more aggressive, the approach should be like very - very aggressive. So that is actually helping me during IPL and it's actually helping me in T20 World Cup.
[Reporter:]
When the attack is on, the batsman is attacking, it's from the media hub. So how do you go ahead and what do you tell yourself when the batsman is in such mood and then attack?
[Kuldeep Yadav:]
I mean - when obviously the other team needs like 10 runs or 12 runs per over and the batter going against you. So, my plan is to just stick with the length, and obviously when they try to attack you, if you have a proper plan against them and you are bowling in probably the better length and you have maximum chances of getting the batter out. So that is my thinking, not thinking I have to get him out just the length.
[Reporter:]
And if he misses, I hid the fact that you've come and played, you've come into the side for these games in the Caribbean rather than the US. Was there a thought that maybe conditions would suit you better here? Has it just been a part of the plan? And how have you been able to be not in the side keeping yourself ready and then coming in at these really important matches?
[Kuldeep Yadav:]
Obviously, I wasn't playing. Actually, I was playing as a 12th man there. I was helping out the teammates and carrying the drinks. That is more like playing. I didn't bowl there but I would have loved to bowl there. But it's more like an Australian sort of wicket. But here I played, I made my T20 ODI debut here back in 2017. I knew the condition very well, just the length and trying to vary my pace. So perfectly for spinners to come here and bowl.