(Image Source: BCCI)
[Saba Sports News] Ahead of the ODI World Cup semifinal against New Zealand, India’s captain Rohit Sharma praised Kuldeep Yadav’s attitude and impact. The match is set to take place at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Discussing Kuldeep’s performance against New Zealand in Dharamsala, Rohit highlighted Kuldeep’s resilience, noting that he’s not afraid to get hit and always strives for breakthroughs.
Rohit emphasized Kuldeep’s improved attitude and willingness to face challenges head-on. He explained that Kuldeep’s readiness to concede runs if it means gaining key wickets is crucial for the team. This mindset was evident in Dharamsala, where Kuldeep managed to secure important wickets despite initial pressure.
Furthermore, Rohit Sharma discussed the team’s success mantra for the ongoing World Cup. He stressed the importance of role clarity, attributing this clarity and minimal changes in team composition to Head Coach Rahul Dravid. Rohit, who wasn’t involved in the role discussions in previous editions as he wasn’t the captain, now plays a pivotal role in defining players’ responsibilities.
“Kuldeep missed out on a few games in between but since he’s made a comeback, you see a different sort of Kuldeep in terms of his attitude. He wants to front the situation front, the challenge, take the responsibility upon him. He is not afraid to get hit. Because you know, like you mentioned about that particular game (against New Zealand), it was a perfect example where the batters were trying to put him under pressure but he eventually got those couple of wickets for us,” Sharma said at the pre-match conference. “With him, he’s like it doesn’t matter (to him) if he goes for runs, but he knows that he has to go out there and get the team into good situations, try for breakthroughs if there’s a partnership. That’s the beauty of spin bowling,” Sharma added.
“If you are afraid (from getting hit), things don’t fall in place. In terms of the strategy as well, you don’t mind getting hit (as a spinner). But the will to come back and finish off really strong is what matters and that is what he did in Dharamsala. We always say the game is not over till the last ball, so even though you get hit for a few boundaries, a few sixes here and there in a few hours, there are 10 hours, 60 balls that you have to bowl and you have to come back and that is the attitude that Kuldeep has,” he concluded.
Sharma refrained from comparing the current team with those from 2011, 2015, or 2019, insisting that each had its strengths. His focus is on the clear roles and expectations set for the current squad, contributing to the team’s performance.