Kuldeep Yadav dismisses talk of replacing Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja

The success of India’s new spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal has given the Virat Kohli-led side fresh options as the permutation and combination continues to find the right mix with an eye on the 2019 ICC World Cup. Yadav and Chahal’s entry into the side happened during the Sri Lanka away ODI series, when Ashwin and Jadeja were ‘rested’, according to a BCCI release. The latter two’s resting period in international cricket has continued since then. While Ashwin played in County during the Sri Lanka series and is now featuring for Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy, Jadeja will play soon turn up for Saurashtra in the domestic competition. Their absence, however, has not been felt so far by India as wrist-spinners Kuldeep and Chahal prosper at home. Yadav, who became the third Indian bowler to take a hat-trick during the OSI series, says that he and Chahal still don’t have the experience to replace Ashwin and Jadeja. “Replace karne ka chance hi nahi hota hai…(There is no question of replacing them). We are still very young. We still have more cricket to play, so that though hasn’t crossed our mind. Ash and Jaddu bhai have been consistent performers for India in all the formats,” he said. Hunting in pairs Chinaman Kuldeep added that the presence of another wrist-spinner in Yuzvendra Chahal, who has the best figures in a T20I match – 6/25 - by an Indian, has helped him prosper as well. “We have a very good partnership going on. We have been playing since last five years. It’s easy to understand each other’s plans. It helps on the ground as we talk each other about the wicket and the conditions. There’s a good understanding between us. We bowl in pairs in a match, the difference is evident,” he said. 50 per cent of Warne Kuldeep Yadav also mentioned how two Australian wrist-spinners affected him and taught him nuances of bowling leg-spin. “His (Warne’s) wrist work, flight and drift, and the way he deceives any batsman is what I really look up to. I will be successful even if I get to learn something from him. I’ve followed Shane Warne since childhood. He’s my idol. If I can achieve 50 per cent of what he did, my life will be a success. I talk to him whenever I can,” Kuldeep said. Regarding, Brad Hogg, another Chinaman bowler, a rarity in the world of cricket, the 22-year-old Kuldeep said: “I have been with Hogg with Kolkata Knight Riders for two seasons. You learn a lot from a fellow chinaman. Be it his flipper or wrong’un. It’s great to gain some experience from them,” he said. ‘No mystery bowler’ After getting early success in his international career, the Kanpur lad opines that keeping the basics right is his main aim. “After two to three years, the batsmen will pick me and it will become easy for them. For me, if my basics like alignment and accuracy are right, I will be successful. For me it does not matter if someone tries to pick me using video analysis. If you bowl in right areas, have good variations and land on the right spot, you will get wickets... No matter how many times you see the video. I’m not a mystery bowler who will bowl from different hands,” he said.