While the experts hailed Kuldeep Yadav’s unbeaten knock of 17 off 72 balls, his batting stance drew more attention instead.
In the second ball of his knock, Kuldeep Yadav connected well with the delivery from Tom Hartley as he executed the reverse sweep to perfection that left commentator Nick Knight impressed. But Kuldeep’s knock of 17 not put on Day 2 of the fourth Test against England in Ranchi was more than just that solitary boundary. The way he defended the ball and left the ones outside the off, it looked like an experienced batter was at work at the crease. And while the experts hailed his knock, his batting stance drew more attention instead.
Kuldeep Yadav batted valiantly on Day 2 of 4th Test against England
During his 72-ball stay at the crease on the second evening, the most deliveries faced by an Indian batter in the Ranchi Test after Yashasvi Jaiswal, commentators kept talking about how he defended the ball and his follow-through. In fact, during a side-on video of his batting stance, Gavaskar was left elated as he called it “Steve Smith like”, leaving his colleagues in splits.
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During that discussion in the commentary box, the cameraman caught India skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill imitating Kuldeep’s batting action in the dressing room before the latter broke into a laughter as Jaiswal watched on.
Kuldeep’s stellar efforts in the final hour of Day 2 along with Dhruv Jurel’s unbeaten knock of 30 off 58 deliveries, where the eighth-wicket pair stitched 42 runs, helped India remain alive in the contest after the England spinners left the hosts reeling.
Shoaib Bashir picked four wickets while Hartley snared two others as India were reduced from 86 for 1 to 177 for seven. Veteran fast bowler James Anderson had taken the other wicket, dismissing captain Rohit in the third over of the innings. The score score could have been lot worse for India if it wasn’t for Kuldeep and Jurel’s efforts. Their partnership helped India reduce the deficit to 134, although England look favourites to take a healthy first-innings lead in Ranchi. Earlier in the day, Joe Root remained unbeaten on 122 to help England finish with 353 runs.
