New Delhi: Who wants to sit on the bench and watch their teammates take the field? Who doesn’t want to see their name on the team sheet? This can be frustrating for any player. But Kuldeep Yadav He handled it with extraordinary calmness.Whether he was carrying drinks, relaying coach’s messages, fetching bats, or praising teammates with a smile, Kuldeep was fully involved with the team despite not being in the playing XI.In the recently concluded T20 World Cup, where India beat New Zealand in the final to clinch the title, teams often opted for spin-heavy combinations. Kuldeep was expected to play a bigger role, but it didn’t happen.
India played eight matches in the tournament, including the final, but Kuldeep featured in only one — the high-profile toss against Pakistan. He bowled three overs, conceded 14 runs and took one wicket.He did not get another chance in the playing XI after that.Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2026 and Mumbai IndiansKuldeep talks about tackling the challenge of being benched.“Preparation becomes important, especially when you are not getting games. I made sure that there was no gap in my preparation so that whenever the opportunity arose, I was ready,” Kuldeep told reporters ahead of the DC vs MI clash in New Delhi.“Even if you’re not playing, it’s important to be with the team, attend practice sessions, and maintain a match-ready mentality. Whether you play or not, your approach should always be to be ready for the next match,” he added.“Confidence comes from preparation. If your training and routines are in place, you will naturally feel confident, although a little bit of nervousness is always there,” said Kuldeep.Kuldeep also highlighted the importance of planning against the batsmen.“Planning against batsmen is constant; you anticipate where they want to score and how they can approach you. With new batsmen, it becomes more difficult, but overall, preparation builds confidence,” he added.The 31-year-old is now eager to make his mark in IPL 2026.In Delhi Capitals’ opening match against Lucknow Supergiants, Kuldeep produced a solid performance, taking two wickets for 31 runs in four overs. He dismissed Mitchell Marsh and Mukul Chaudhary in that game.Now they will compete against Mumbai Indians in the next match.Kuldeep stressed the importance of sticking to his strengths, especially in the T20 format.“It is very important for spinners to maintain their strength. Whenever the batsmen put you under pressure, you forget your strength. You look for a safe option to get out of the situation,” Kuldeep said.“If you’re an attack spinner, don’t let it go because that’s what you’re known for and if you’re doing that for the team, taking wickets, there’s nothing better than that,” he added. Your mindset should be attacking.“Young spinners understand that these are high-scoring matches and runs will be taken. Yes, you will be targeted for runs because it’s a T20 format, but you have to plan accordingly and be ready. You don’t necessarily give away 40-45 runs in four overs, if a player dominates, that happens, or that’s great for batting.”
