Indian left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has revealed that former England batter Kevin Pietersen shared some inputs about Ben Stokes鈥 Test team and how to bowl in the UK during IPL 2025. Kuldeep and Pietersen were together at Delhi Capitals, with the latter working as a team mentor.
Kuldeep is one of the two spinners India have picked for the England Tests, alongside all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. In the recent first match at Headingley, the team stuck with its old formula of picking only Jadeja with four pace options. However, after seeing both Jadeja and Shardul Thakur struggle for wickets in dry conditions, that could change in Birmingham on July 2, with Kuldeep offering a more agressive option.
鈥淜evin Petersen was part of our team at DC,鈥 the spinner told The Indian Express. 鈥淗e gave me a lot of inputs for the England tour. He told me about fielding positions, pitches and the batsmen. We ran through their batting lineup. He told me about the mindset needed in England. Pietersen said that generally spinners come to England with a defensive mindset. They think that in England, fast bowlers will get wickets and they will be in a supporting role. He told me to take the field with an attacking mindset. If I get a game and bowl 15 to 20 overs, I have to always think about how to get the batsmen out,鈥 he added.
The spinner knows his role would be far from a holding bowler and feels the only way he鈥檒l justify his place would be by picking wickets.
鈥淎pan ko kuch aata nahi hai bowling ke aalava (I don鈥檛 know anything other than bowling). If you don鈥檛 take wickets, you can鈥檛 justify yourself for playing in England. If you don鈥檛 take wickets, I don鈥檛 think you deserve to play. But I know one thing, wherever one is playing, at home or in England, I have to get the revs on the ball and the drift and that will get me wickets,鈥 he added.
Edgbaston has often offered decent help for spinners. Kuldeep would also be in the game against this England side which looks to take on the bowlers. However, it鈥檚 on the team management to materialise that logic into action 鈥 if and who they drop for him would be interesting to see.