Kuldeep Yadav Needs To Stay Mentally Strong, Seek Advice And Analyse: Paul Adams

Former South Africa left-arm wrist spinner Paul Adams has called on India's Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav to get mentally strong and analyze how he can continue to have an impact at the international level.

Kuldeep has been struggling in international cricket and has also been benched by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). While he stayed with the Indian team, he got to play few Test matches and also got limited opportunities to play limited-overs cricket.

The one-time trump-card of India skipper Virat Kohli, who led India to their first-ever ODI series win in South Africa in 2018, hasn't been picked in the playing XI even once by KKR this season. Last season too, he played just five matches for KKR picking up just one wicket.

The 44-year-old Adams, who played 45 Tests and 24 ODIs for South Africa between 1995 and 2004, said that the emergence of wrist spinners in India, especially due to the Indian Premier League, has created a lot of competition. However, he said that Kuldeep alone can help himself get out of this difficult phase that every player goes through.

"Kuldeep made a good impact in the initial stages of his career. Every bowler will go through a patch where there is a bit of a dip and he is not having an impact on the team. For Kuldeep, he really has to go back and analyze why this is happening, what can he do to make an impact in the team," said Adams while speaking to IANS.

"He is in a situation where you find quite a bit of spinner playing around you. The IPL has created a platform for other wrist spinners, even if they are right-arm wrist spinners, to compete against each other all the time."

"India is lucky to have competition among wrist spinners who are performing. Kuldeep has to make sure that he is mentally strong and analyses his bowling where he can improve his bowling and make an impact at the international level," added Adams who lost his mother during the recent Covid-19 pandemic.

"My advice to him is to keep believing in himself. Life is about ups and downs. It is always how you come back. That is the test of character - analyzing how it would work and get back to performing. He needs to talk to people who have performed on the international stage before. He needs a bit of backing on staying positive," added Adams.

Adams feels that Chinaman variety was rare back in his days but has now become popular. "Chinaman bowlers are right up there with the best in the world. It has created new energy around wrist spinners," said Adams whose compatriot and fellow Chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi is the world No. 1 bowler in T20 International cricket rankings, said Adams on the sidelines of his joining GoNuts platform.

"It is an art where the bowlers of today are inspiring another generation of them. There are enough performers out there in the world proving that it is a skill that can be performed at an international level. The line and length the left-arm wrist spinners can bowl can be a nice variety."

Adams said that the advent of T20 cricket has helped create fresh interest in left-arm wrist spinners. "It must be said that T20 cricket that has regenerated the use for wrist spin," said Adams.

"It is a different art. People find it tough to come through that. (When I began) I started looking at different bowlers who bowled left-arm leg-spin spin. (But) There wasn't enough reference for that. I just started developing that for myself and finding ways of how to take wickets," added Adams.

"I stuck more with the googly, ball turning away from the right-handed batsman. It (googly) was the one I developed over time."