Before Champions Trophy, Sanjay Manjrekar’s deception, turn & speed advice
Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed concerns about Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling pace ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy, suggesting he should prioritize deception and turn over sheer speed. Manjrekar noted that Kuldeep seemed to have increased his pace due to past criticism about bowling too slowly, but this adjustment has led to him bowling “quick and flat,” potentially reducing his effectiveness.
Manjrekar elaborated that Kuldeep’s strength lies in his ability to deceive batsmen with turn, which becomes less effective when he bowls faster. He urged Kuldeep to take inspiration from Adil Rashid, who varies his pace between the mid-70s to late 80s and even 90 kmph, while Kuldeep predominantly bowls in the high 80s.
Kuldeep’s recent performance in the ODI series against England, where he took only two wickets and conceded 91 runs, has further fueled these concerns. In contrast, Varun Chakravarthy’s decent performance led to his inclusion in India’s Champions Trophy squad.
Kuldeep Yadav, a left-arm unorthodox spinner, has been a key player for India, even being part of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup winning team. He has achieved several milestones, including being the fastest Indian spinner to 100 ODI wickets. In 2023, he stood out with 35 wickets in 17 ODI innings, averaging 16.31 with an economy of 4.68. Kuldeep himself acknowledges the importance of varying pace, especially on turning pitches. He also made technical changes post-injury in 2021 to reduce the load on his right leg, which improved his rhythm. Aakash Chopra has also supported Kuldeep as India’s premier spinner for the Champions Trophy