Dubai [UAE]: Ahead of India’s match against Oman, spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who earned consecutive ‘Player of the Match’ awards upon his return to the playing XI, reflected on his time off during the Test tour of England, saying that not playing provides valuable learning experiences.
India, already through to the Super Four stage, will face Oman—yet to register a win—in a dead-rubber fixture at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, on Friday.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Kuldeep discussed the challenges of maintaining rhythm after nearly two months without competitive cricket during the England series. “Challenges are there, because when you play the first game, your rhythm is very important. Playing regularly helps set your rhythm. You understand your bowling and fielding better,” he said.
“During the England tour, considering the conditions and team combination, I didn’t get a chance to play. But it was a good opportunity to work on my fitness and improve the volume of my bowling, which is crucial. I learned a lot. As a player, you gain insight even when you don’t play—watching the team handle situations teaches you how to react and bowl in different scenarios. Later, I played a Dilip Trophy match where I bowled 35 overs wicketless, but it helped set my rhythm. That was very important for me,” he added.
In the two matches of the current tournament, Kuldeep has claimed seven wickets at an average of 3.57, with a four-wicket haul against the UAE being his standout performance.
On his current form, Kuldeep admitted he feels there’s room for improvement. “I don’t think I’m bowling at my best yet, but I can improve. Sometimes small mistakes in reading the batsman happen. As a top bowler, you notice these errors and have to work on them. Understanding how the ball moves in your hand is key, and only you can judge that,” he explained.
Kuldeep described the Abu Dhabi pitch as “perfect for a spinner,” offering the ideal bounce and pace, unlike the slow surfaces during the ICC Champions Trophy that required extra effort to generate revs and bounce.
Looking ahead to the Super Four clash against Pakistan on September 21, he remained pragmatic: “Pakistan is just another team, another game. For me, it’s just another batsman in front of me.”
Recalling his time on the sidelines in England, Kuldeep praised the clarity of communication with head coach Gautam Gambhir, emphasizing that selection decisions were based on team combination, not his ability. “Sometimes I felt I could play, but because of the team balance, I didn’t. Gauti was very straightforward, and that clarity helped. I enjoyed the time and learned a lot,” he said.
He concluded with a reflection on growth through challenges: “When you don’t play, you learn a lot and become a better player. You gain ideas on how to react in situations. It’s easy to blame someone else, but the real challenge is self-assessment—understanding your weaknesses and working to improve. A player decides his path, but hard work is essential.”
Squads:
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jitesh Sharma, Rinku Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana
Oman: Aamir Kaleem, Jatinder Singh (c), Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla (wk), Wasim Ali, Hassnain Shah, Shah Faisal, Jiten Ramanandi, Aryan Bisht, Shakeel Ahmed, Samay Shrivastava, Mohammad Nadeem, Sufyan Mehmood, Karan Sonavale, Ashish Odedara, Mohammad Imran, Zikria Islam, Nadeem Khan, Sufyan Yousaf
