Test cricket is entering a different dimension with England announcing the arrival of Bazball but Kuldeep Yadav remark made in the presser will make the world think of the same in a different light.
So what did Kuldeep Yadav exactly say? Talking in the pre-match presser, Kuldeep Yadav said, “Usually in Tests you’re not used to teams attacking you with this kind of approach [Bazball], but it also involves you a lot more. As a spinner it makes you more focused on how you want to bowl and what your approach is.”
Now that certainly makes an intriguing approach. Ideally, all teams have talked about Bazball and has probably looked at it at an opportunity for taking wickets too. That is true to be honest. When you live by the sword, you die by it too. Similarly, when you play cricket in the fast lane, the challenges are insurmountable.
However, Kuldeep Yadav perspective of taking a closer look at things and countering it with an approach that can not just be effective but also a punishing one, makes it interesting. So why is Kuldeep talking about saving runs and not going for wickets?
Just to throw in a bit of perspective, Bazball is more threatening because the nuances lie at a psychological level than the tangible aspect of the same. It is about being all guns blazing. But then when you stop runs, you basically take out the root of all cause.
The lack of runs make you more desperate and then let’s say, one batter goes looking for runs, falls, the other one takes it personally upon himself to get the job done. More desperation, more effrontery, more opportunities that opens up the doors for the bowling side to claim wickets.
Kuldeep Yadav responds to why there have been no rank turners in the series so far. pic.twitter.com/iVUZoCyYfG
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) February 13, 2024
Also, the scar tissue is predominant enough to leave England asking for more. Now it goes without saying that players who are playing at an international level will be knowing better than that but has England actually cautioned restraint after being challenged? They have come looking for runs always and unless they have found it, the desperation is through the roofs. So maybe and just maybe, Kuldeep’s modest approach can be the game-changer that India is looking forward to in the upcoming England match-up.
