Delhi Capitals allrounder Axar Patel said that Kuldeep Yadav received a sense of mental security at the DC camp which brought the best out of the India wrist-spinner in the IPL 2022 game against Mumbai Indians.
Kuldeep, who had warmed the bench of Kolkata Knight Riders for the last two seasons, made a match-winning debut for Delhi Capitals, returning with 3 for 18 to be adjudged the Player-of-the-Match in their IPL 2022 opener at the Brabourne.
“It’s all about the mindset. He was struggling in the IPL as his place was not secured for KKR. He was not sure whether he would play all their matches,” Axar said at the post-match media conference when asked about the secret of Kuldeep’s turnaround.
“But he feels that surety of playing matches after coming over here. If you know your place is secured, and not that you have to perform in two matches otherwise you will be sacked from the team, then you can give your best.”
Kuldeep was not picked for a single match last season and injury forced him out of the tournament.
In 2020, he was included in just five matches as the spinner went out of favour in KKR’s scheme of things with the arrival of Varun Chakravarthy.
Having joined KKR in the 2016 season, Kuldeep has overall played 45 matches for the franchise, taking 40 wickets at an average of 30.90.
