Men’s ODI WC: Working on what I can do as a bowler has made me relaxed, says Kuldeep Yadav

Dharamshala, Oct 23 (IANS) India’s left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav believes working on what he can do more as a bowler is leading to him having a relaxed approach to his bowling during the ongoing Men’s ODI World Cup on home soil.

Kuldeep came into the World Cup on the back of picking up the Player of the Tournament award in India’s triumph at the Asia Cup. As of now, he’s picked eight scalps in India's unbeaten run of five matches till now. Against New Zealand, he was hit for 48 runs in five overs, before coming back to take two wickets and end up with figures of 2-73.

"I’m not thinking too much about other things to be honest. I don’t think so much. I watch other sports. I don’t fear failure too much now. I don’t think too much about the fact that if I don’t perform what will happen."

"I keep working on my things, on improving my bowling and I try to think about the skills that are in my hand and are in my control. I’m not thinking about how the batter is playing. I work on what I can do as a bowler, so perhaps, that is what makes me relaxed," said Kuldeep on the latest episode of The ICC Review podcast.

Kuldeep revealed legendary Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne would often provide him with advice about spin bowling before his death last year and added he still watched old videos of the former Australia spinner to gain that extra piece of inspiration before stepping on the field.

"If there is any doubt (with how I am bowling), I look at his old action. I feel I am very lucky to have spent some time with him and to have been his good friend. Because I used to watch him on the television and observed how he used to dismiss the batters and his planning.”

“He was quite strong mentally. When I played in Sydney, he helped me quite a bit. I learnt my bowling from him and he is the person I have followed forever," he added.

Now on top of the points table with 10 points from five wins, India will have a six-day break before taking on defending champions England at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on October 29.