“The first 7 to 10 days were really tough”- Star India player opens up after 2023 World Cup final debacle against Australia

Despite the Indian team experiencing a heartbreak in the Final against Australia, the journey leading up to the grand stage was extraordinary. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, the Indian team entered the final with a remarkable 10-match winning streak. This World Cup campaign was special as every player in the team contributed whenever the team needed the services. One such player was Kuldeep Yadav whose mystery spin troubled the batter throughout the tournament.

The star India spinner Kuldeep Yadav shared that it took him ten days to overcome the disappointment of the ODI World Cup defeat against Australia. During this period, he consistently reflected on what changes he could have made that evening. Like his teammates, Kuldeep required some time to recover from the defeat in the ODI World Cup final against Australia.

“Starting was really difficult. The first 7 to 10 days were really tough. 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,” he said.

I have never thought about taking five wickets: Kuldeep Yadav

The star India spinner discussed his outstanding and match-winning performance in the third T20I against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium on December 14. Celebrating his 29th birthday, Kuldeep secured a five-wicket haul, playing a crucial role in India’s commanding 106-run victory. This accomplishment marked a significant milestone for Kuldeep as he became the second Indian bowler, after Bhuvneshwar Kumar to achieve multiple five-wicket hauls in T20Is. Furthermore, he holds the distinction of being the first Indian spinner to reach this milestone.

“It turned out to be a special day. I have never thought about taking five wickets. I just wanted the team to win which is more important. I was concerned about my bowling because I was playing after sometime, so wanted to get my rhythm. It was perfect today. The ball was coming out well from the hand and the conditions too suited the spinners a bit,” he added.