'Before My Test Debut, He Said...': Kuldeep Yadav Recalls Big Task Given By Coach Anil Kumble

Kuldeep Yadav revealed coach Anil Kumble tasked him to pick five wickets on his Test debut to which Yadav said 'yes sir'.

Photo: AFP

Team India's young spinner Kuldeep Yadav revealed how then-coach Anil Kumble informed him while having lunch that he would be making his Test debut against Australia in Dharamshala. Not only this, but coach Kumble also tasked him to pick five wickets on his debut to which Yadav said 'yes sir'. Speaking to Cricbuzz in their Youtube show Spicy Pitch, Kuldeep recalled the episode. "I get emotional when I remember my Test debut in Dharamsala. The most important thing for me at the time was how to perform. I remember a day before the match, Anil sir came to me and said ‘you will play tomorrow, you have to take 5 wickets'," he said. "So, I paused for a second, and then I was like, ‘yes sir, I will pick up 5 wickets'. (Laxman) Sivaramakrishnan sir gave me my Test cap. He gave me some advice, I don't remember what, as I was completely blank at the time. "I was feeling lot of pressure, I was really nervous. I felt that it was a big stage -- how will I perform here. But then I bowled a couple of overs before lunch, and I felt relaxed. I decided to play it like it is a Ranji Trophy match. Test cricket has always been very close to my heart." Kuldeep recently spoke about the influence of former skipper M.S. Dhoni in his career and said that the wicket-keeper even made up for his childhood coach as they both thought alike. "I can't pick up just one as there are many (when asked about Dhoni's instructions from behind the stumps). He always used to tell me ‘ball ko spin karana hai (you have to spin the ball) rather than bowling flat'. This used to remind me of my coach. This is the best thing that I heard from Dhoni and because of this I never felt like I was missing my coach," Kuldeep said in a video uploaded on a sports app.