Mumbai, Jan 22: Diminutive left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav has had a good first season with the UP Under-19 squad. Having claimed a five-for to help restrict Mumbai Under-19s to 386 in the first innings of the ongoing Cooch Behar Trophy encounter between the two sides, he came out to score a determined 70 runs after the visitors were tottering on 141 for the loss of six wickets. Despite his gritty 96-run partnership for the seventh wicket with HL Asnora, the visitors were bowled out for 273.

In an exclusive interview with bcci.tv, the Shane Warne fan spoke about how working on the basics would help him lay the foundation on which he can build his career.

Excerpts:

On his batting

Yes, I was batting okay but if I had got more support from the other end, maybe things would have been different. I bat all right; I have scored 70-plus [earlier] and 65 in the previous match. The wicket is good to bat on. Most of our batsmen have thrown their wickets away. I’ve always liked to bat. Of course the match will be decided on [the basis of the] first-innings lead. […]

On the five-wicket haul

This is my fifth five-wicket haul of the season, including the one in ODIs.

On his idol

My idol is Shane Warne. He had come to NCA once; I met him then. My bowling coach introduced me to him. I met him during my Under-16 days couple of years back. He had asked me to strengthen the basics. If your base is strong, you can succeed. Warne had said that my variations were good and had asked me to keep working on them and to make them my strength.

On the journey so far

I have played Under-15 and then Under-16 [cricket], and my performance was good and then I started to play for Indian Oil. This is my first year in the Under-19 [category]. The season is going well. I have 44 wickets in all.

On his coach’s advice

My coach is Kapil Pandey. I used to go to the ground to pass the time when I was in the fifth and sixth standard; I had not decided that this is what I wanted to do. A couple of years went by like that. Then my coach saw me. Earlier I used to bowl medium pace but he said since I didn’t have the height, nor the power, I would not be able to bowl medium pace. I was not able to bowl [left-arm] orthodox [spin] [either]; I used to only bowl the chinaman. So then Sir asked me to focus on that delivery.

On the support received from his family

Mother was not keen that I played cricket. She wanted me to focus on my studies as I was good academically but my father encouraged me. He said I was good and so he pushed me to play; now mother also encourages me to play. My father is a businessman and my mother is a housewife. I am an only child.

On the way forward

My first goal now is to make it to the Under-19 team for the World Cup later this year. The season has been good so there is hope. Then Emerging India, India A. I haven’t played Ranji Trophy cricket yet but that opportunity also will come soon.

On the advice he has received from the seniors

Wasim Jaffer, Cheteshwar Pujara and [Ajinkya] Rahane are my teammates in Indian Oil. I have gained good experience being with them.