Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra showered praise on Kuldeep Yadav after Men in Blue registered a six-wicket win against Pakistan in the ongoing Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Sunday.
Yadav returned with impressive figures of 3-40 in the nine overs he bowled against the arch-rivals. The wrist-spinner accounted for Salman Ali Agha, Naseem Shah, and Shaheen Shah Afridi in his fine spell.
Yadav dismissed Salman Ali Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 43rd over on consecutive balls.
“We have realized now why Kuldeep is our main man. I actually spoke to him before the game and he was very pumped up and confident to do well in this match. He didn’t say that but there was one thing on my mind that everyone says he should be dropped, that Varun can be played in his place,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
The renowned commentator feels Pakistan could have been bowled out earlier if Rohit Sharma had given the 10th over to Kuldeep Yadav.
“I am saying wait a little. We discussed yesterday as well that Pakistan get stuck and trapped against leg-spin and he showed that by doing it. In fact, if he had been given his last over, they would have scored 220-odd and not 240. The team might have been all out for 228. He picked up three wickets and was also on a hat-trick,” he observed.
Chopra continued to shower praise on Kuldeep Yadav for providing the crucial wickets in the middle overs.
“He is brilliant. Of course, he bowls better when there is slightly more pace on the pitch. He doesn’t get that much help if the pitch is extremely slow as you can read him off the pitch then and play him easily. However, look at the way he has bowled. Kuldeep Yadav is our main man in these conditions. He is the guy who can give you wickets in the middle overs,” he said.
“You have to invest in him because, let’s be honest, the fast bowling looked slightly flat. I am very happy that Shami has a week’s break because he wasn’t clicking 140 kph. He probably had less time to recover from the last match. When Shami limped, we stumbled,” Chopra observed.
India will next take on New Zealand at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on 2nd March.
