IPL is tough for bowlers, says Kuldeep Yadav; Credits Sunil Narine for key lessons

"You might take wickets, but maintaining an economy rate of just 6 or 7 runs per over isn’t always realistic. The format is highly competitive, with top-tier players," Kuldeep said in a chat with JioStar. "As a bowler, the goal should be to dominate. Players like Jasprit Bumrah and Sunil Narine have consistently achieved that. During my time with KKR, I learned a great deal from Sunil Narine—he was ahead of his time," he added.

Hyderabad: Delhi Capitals’ star spin bowler Kuldeep Yadav days that the IPL is very tough for bowlers—it’s highly competitive.

“You may pick up wickets, but you can’t always expect to maintain an economy of just 6 or 7 runs per over. It’s a challenging format with high-quality players,” Kuldeep said in a chat with JioStar.

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“As a bowler, you must aim to dominate. Players like Jasprit Bumrah and Sunil Narine have done that consistently. I learned a lot from Sunil Narine when I was with KKR—he was ahead of his time,” Kuldeep said.

“He always emphasized the importance of bowling length. Back then, I believed I could rely solely on my skills, but now I realize he was absolutely right. Since returning from injury, I’ve focused a lot on my length, and that has made a significant difference,” he

On his long-standing spin partnership with fellow Delhi Capitals teammate Axar Patel, dating back to their early cricketing days, Kuldeep said Axar and he had been playing together since under-17 days, so their understanding is very smooth.

“We have a very clear-cut communication style. I remember during the U-19 World Cup in 2012, when we won in Australia under Unmukt Chand’s captaincy, we were both in standby.,” he said.

“I have always been an attacking bowler, while Axar provides control, which creates pressure on the batsmen. That pressure often converts into wickets—either for him, for me, or for someone else bowling at the time,” Kuldeep said.

“The pressure Axar builds in the middle overs is crucial, and our communication is seamless when discussing plans. Like I used to understand Chahal’s game, I have the same understanding with Axar. While our bowling styles differ, my mindset remains very clear when bowling alongside him,” the star spin bowler said.