Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav once again dismantled the Kolkata Knight Riders batting line-up and admitted ‘the fear of failure is no more in him’ as Delhi Capitals completed a double over the two-time champions in the ongoing IPL 2022 at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday night.
Kuldeep Yadav’s figures of 4/14 in his allotted four overs helped Delhi Capitals restrict KKR to below-par 146/9 before David Warner’s 42 and Rovman Powell’s unbeaten 16-ball 33 saw them home with six balls to spare. It was KKR’s fifth straight loss in IPL.
“I might have become a better bowler, but I am mentally stronger than before,” said Kuldeep, who was adjudged as Player of the Match. A former KKR spinner, Kuldeep has been the nemesis for the Shreyas Iyer-led side in this ongoing IPL. He had taken 4/35 in the first leg.
“When you fail in life you pick what you can improve on and that is something I had to improve. I don’t get scared of failing now. This is the best IPL season for me. I am enjoying my bowling. I don't think what the batter will do and what if I get hit,” said Kuldeep, who took two wickets in an over twice on Thursday.
Kuldeep broke into the limelight during 2017 and 2018 seasons when he took 29 wickets in 27 games for KKR. However, his form dipped in the next two editions as he could manage only five wickets in 2019 and 2020 seasons from 14 games.
The Uttar Pradesh cricketer was released by KKR ahead of the IPL auctions 2022 and was snapped up by Delhi Capitals to get a new lease of life. Kuldeep’s four wickets on Thursday took him to 17 scalps in the tournament, one short of good friend and Purple Cap holder Yuzvendra Chahal.
While he has no interest in numbers, Kuldeep wants Chahal to win the Purple Cap. “My focus has been to bowl the right line and lengths. There has never been competition with him (Chahal). He's like my big brother and has always backed me. He kept motivating me when I was injured and I hope he wins the Purple Cap,” added Kuldeep.
