In an interview on kkr.in, the spinner went back in time to 2017 and spoke about his debut for India. The Kolkata Knight Riders spinner Kuldeep Yadav is currently training with the squad in Abu Dhabi and believes that the franchise has the team to win IPL 2020.
The two-time IPL winners, after having won the titles in 2012 and 2014, are now vying for their third title in the UAE.
In the first Test match in Pune, Australia hammered India by 333 runs, and Kuldeep was in the dressing rooms to watch the loss. In the next two Tests as well, where India won a game and drew the next one, Kuldeep’s position remained the same.
The fourth Test was in Dharamshala’s HPCA stadium. It was to be the maiden Test match at the picturesque stadium, and this is where Kuldeep got an opportunity to make his Test debut for India.
Looking back at his debut, Kuldeep Yadav said. “It was an honor! I was on the bench for three matches but kept preparing myself with Anil sir (Kumble), our then coach. He backed me a lot. He exactly knew the kind of mindset young spinners have. “I remember, a day before the debut, we were having lunch together. He told me, you are playing tomorrow and I want 5 wickets from you. I was a little intimidated but I confidently said that I would definitely take.” he added.
Kuldeep said that all the nervousness disappeared when he got on the field, and all the team members joined in. “I slept early at 9 PM and got up at 3 AM, confused and nervous. I wanted to wake up Virat Bhai who was next doors. But I was sure he would get mad at me. So, I went back to sleep and got up at 6 AM.”
Kuldeep Yadav went on to take four key Australian wickets in his debut match and remembers his first wicket, that of David Warner, very well. He played the cut straight to the slip. That was my first wicket. It was one of the happiest moments of my life and I got really emotional.
