Never thought I will pick 5 wickets; happy to contribute in team's win: Kuldeep Yadav

Johannesburg, Dec 15

India’s left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav had a perfect 29th birthday celebration by picking a superb career-best figures of 5-17 in the third and final T20I against South Africa at the Wanderers on Thursday night.

After India won by a huge 106 runs to square the series at 1-1, Kuldeep said he aimed to make the team win and that he was happy to contribute in it. “It was a special day. Never thought that I will pick five wickets (in this match). I just wanted the team to win the match and I am happy to contribute, which is more important.”

“I was a bit concerned about my rhythm as I was bowling after a while. It was a perfect day, ball was leaving the hand nicely, the condition was also suited for the spinners,” he said in the post-match press conference.

Kuldeep has played six ODIs and two T20Is in South Africa, which have yielded him 23 wickets overall. He felt the wickets in the country are suiting the spinners more, after taking his second five-wicket haul in T20Is. “In South Africa, to be very honest, the wickets are very good for the spinners. The good thing about these wickets is that the ball comes very quickly after pitching.”

“So sometimes, you have to vary your variations and if you get it right then it is very difficult to pick (for the batters). I am just focusing on the length and my tricks. I knew, If I will bowl quicker through the air they won’t have the chance to pull me over mid-wicket.”

“In Durban and Port Elizabath (now Gqeberha), you try to spin the bowl more. I was surprised to see the wicket when Keshav was bowling in the first innings, few balls were turning.”

Kuldeep also revealed that it was tough for him to get over the Men’s ODI World Cup final loss to Australia in Ahmedabad on November 19. “Starting first seven to ten days were really difficult. Whenever I was waking up, the thought of losing the World Cup final was haunting me.”

“But life changes and moves on. I got an opportunity to play in South Africa, I last played here in 2018 so I knew the conditions well. In cricket what you want never happens and you have to learn from them and implement those in future matches.”