MUMBAI: Former India women's cricket team coach WV Raman felt that Delhi Capitals' left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav is looking a lot calmer in his mind and as a result, he is relying a lot on his stock deliveries.
Kuldeep had been one of the revelation stories of IPL 2022, picking 13 wickets in seven matches at an economy rate of 8.47 and is currently seventh-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. In all of Delhi's wins in IPL 2022, Kuldeep had picked 'Player of the Match' award. In the last encounter between Delhi and Kolkata Knight Riders, Kuldeep had picked 4/35, including three in an over to break the back of his former franchise's chase.
"He is a lot more calmer in his mind and that's why he is relying a lot more on his stock deliveries. In the earlier times, he was far too uncertain and was trying too many things. He was trying to do everything which was mentally possible, " Raman was quoted as saying by cricket.com.
"But now he is able to focus better and it's important for any bowler. You talk about Chahal, Narine, Ashwin or Jadeja - they all concentrate on landing their stock deliveries where they want to and that's what Kuldeep is doing. He is able to get the wrong'uns going as well and that's obviously going to bamboozle the batters, " added Raman, a former India cricketer.
While Kuldeep is having a good time in Delhi, all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer hasn't been at his best for Kolkata in IPL 2022. The all-rounder, who was phenomenal in the second half of IPL 2021, was retained for INR 8 crores and starred in white-ball matches for India.
But, in IPL 2022, Iyer has been a pale shadow of his dominating self, making just 126 runs at average of just 18 and strike rate of 102.43. He began the tournament an opener but is now batting in the middle-order, a position where he played for India.
Understandably, Raman is not impressed with the way Kolkata have handled Iyer.
"I am surprised with the way Venkatesh Iyer has been handled. KKR do have the bragging rights of unearthing Venkatesh Iyer but there he wasn't used the way KKR used him. The franchise had to reassure him and give him that confidence by sticking with him at the top-order, where he did for them last year, but unfortunately, he has been used at different numbers. And, that hasn't done his confidence any good."
With Delhi and Kolkata facing off against each other on Thursday at Wankhede Stadium, Raman opined that Kolkata are struggling to get their combination right comparted to a sorted Delhi.
"In terms of their playing XI, Delhi seem to be far more certain as to what they want to do. But, in terms of KKR, they haven't been able to work out their combination as far as their foreign players are concerned."
"It's always been the case with KKR. They have always had the problem of plenty, so they always have to bench a lot of highly-talented performers. That seems to be continuing and hasn't been sorted out yet."