He was heartbroken when the Uttar Pradesh team management did not find him fit to be considered for the Ranji Trophy playing XI, but after his maiden entry into the national ODI squad, rookie chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav wants to move on from that bitter episode of last season.
“Today is the day when my parents have been rewarded for the number of sacrifices they made to make me a cricketer. I was disheartened and completely broken when the UP management didn’t find me good enough to play Ranji Trophy. My parents and childhood coach consoled me a lot at that time. I started working harder and today, I am in the Indian team,” Kuldeep told PTI-Bhasha over phone from Bangalore ahead of the CLT20 final.
Recently, Sunil Gavaskar, in his column, praised his performance in the ongoing CLT20. “When Gavaskar sir praised me, it boosted my confidence and I felt like putting twice as much effort. I feel as if I am living a dream, I never knew that at the age of 19, I would be playing for the senior India team,” said Kuldeep.
Humble background Kuldeep’s father Ram Singh Yadav is the owner of a brick kiln and they live in a rented apartment having shifted from their native village in Unnao so that Kuldeep could pursue his dreams.
“Kuldeep’s talent came to light when I admitted him to a coaching camp. Once I knew that he was destined for bigger things, I decided to shift to Kanpur, where there are better coaching facilities. Today, the sacrifices my wife and I made have borne fruit,” a teary-eyed Ram Singh said.
Meanwhile, UPCA president Rajeev Shukla congratulated the young spinner and his family on his selection in the Indian team.
“This is great news for UP cricket that another of our talented boys has been selected in the national team. I am confident that Kuldeep will perform well for the country just like Suresh Raina and Bhuvneshwar Kumar,” Shukla said.
Team for the first three ODIs:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Murali Vijay, Kuldeep Yadav.
Published - October 04, 2014 11:30 pm IST
