The IND vs ENG series has been the one for the youngsters. It will always be remembered for bringing to the fore, India’s future Test stars like Sarfaraz Khan, and Dhruv Jurel. Not just that, it will also be remembered for chinaman Kuldeep Yadav finally making his presence felt in the longest-format of the game, and making himself indispensable in the side.
But his journey till here was no bed of roses. After announcing his arrival with a bang in the limited-overs formats, and bagging a couple of hat-tricks early on in his career, he had a sudden slump in form, with not many chances coming his way in Tests. In IPL 2021, he injured his knee and sat out for the entire season.
But then he found a way to comeback, as he picked 16 wickets for Delhi Capitals the next season, and eventually made his way back to the Indian team as well. Opening up on Kuldeep’s resurgence, former bowling coach Bharat Arun recalled a conversation between Ravi Shastri and the bowler.
Puppy Fat has to be Melted Away
“Boss, this puppy fat you have na… has to be melted away. I can’t think of a single reason with improved fitness that you won’t become a world-class Test bowler,” Arun recalled during a chat with The Indian Express.
“Any bowler can bowl quicker – that was never the point. It had to be done without sacrificing turn, loop and dip. And it was always about the energy through the crease. The ultimate result is a visible increase in pace. Not the other way around. Not going there and firing the ball. None of us are idiots! It was about being patient and working hard,” Arun said.
