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Yadav dazzles under lights
GREATER NOIDA: One of the most astounding features of Duleep Trophy so far has been the transformation of chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav under lights. Against India
GREATER NOIDA: One of the most astounding features of Duleep Trophy so far has been the transformation of chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav under lights. Against India Blue, the 21-year-old struggled to pitch the ball on length in first session of the opening day, but on Tuesday, as darkness descended and artificial lights began to take control, Yadav, almost on cue, rediscovered his length. He began to flight the ball, the variations were unfurled, and the Uttar Pradesh bowler found sufficient dip and drift to snare four wickets in 13 balls.
Even in the first match against Suresh Raina’s India Green, Yadav bamboozled the opposition when the floodlights were switched on. While pink ball does offer early movement off the seam, the challenge for the batsmen has been to read the wrist-spinners.
However, what has made Yadav and India Green leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal difficult to gauge is not vicious turn or a proverbial mystery ball, but black seam on the high gloss pink ball. It was a point attested by Red’s batsman Gurkeerat Mann, who admitted to trouble in sighting the ball.
“I had slight problems sighting the ball initially. But once the ball became wet, it was difficult to pick the wrist spinners as they bowled with a cross seam and the revolutions were not clearly visible because the black seam was being overpowered by the bright pink gloss. That is why all the wrist spinners like Yadav and (Shreyas) Gopal picked wickets,” Mann told HT. His observations were seconded by India Blue opener Mayank Agarwal on Wednesday. On second day of this match, Agarwal fell to Yadav after looking set for a ton. The Karnataka right-hander perished trying to repeat the shot two balls later.
“The plan was to dominate him (Yadav). But in the end, it was one shot too many,” Agarwal said after third day’s play was called off after just 16.2 overs of play.
