India’s chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav scripted history at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata in the 2nd ODI against Australia as he became the 3rd Indian bowler to bag a hattrick in the format. He removed Matthew Wade, Ashton Agar and Pat Cummins off consecutive deliveries in the 33rd over to achieve the landmark.
India’s wicketkeeper MS Dhoni is always of a great help to the young spinners like Kuldeep as he can be heard guiding them from behind the stump as per batsmen’s movements in the crease. After the left-armer bagged the first 2 wickets, he turned to Dhoni for advice for the hattrick ball.
“I asked Mahi bhai, what should I bowl. He said ‘tujhe jaisa bhi lagta hai, woh daal (bowl the way you want to)’. I was very happy that he backed me,” Kuldeep said after the match.
MS didn’t suggest any particular delivery and simply gave his backing to the youngster. The 22-year-old then bowled a peach of a delivery to claim the 3rd wicket on the trot. The right-hander Pat Cummins was facing and the bowler delivered a wrong un that pitched on a good length on leg stump that turned ever so slightly to take the edge and Dhoni completed a safe catch to give his junior his first hattrick in international cricket.
It was a proud moment
Kuldeep Yadav was ecstatic with the achievement and ran with outstretched hands all over the park. He felt very proud of the moment that changed the game for the country.
“This is very special for me. That really changed the game for us. It was a proud moment,” Kuldeep said.
It wasn’t as if the spinner was bowling well throughout the game, he was spraying the ball to all places initially and the Australian batsmen went after him. But suddenly, he found his line and length and went on to claim the amazing feat.
“The first five overs I was struggling to bowl in a particular area, but later on I got the spot, and the rest is history,” he added.
