India National Cricket Team star left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav is hopeful of the young batter Sarfaraz Khan smashing a double century in the Test series opener against the New Zealand National Cricket Team.
The first Test of the three-match series between the Rohit Sharma-led side and the Kiwis is being hosted by the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Sarfaraz Khan Played Amazing Knock On Day 3
Sarfaraz Khan was among the five Indian batters who bagged a duck in the first innings en route to the embarrassing 46 all out. However, the youngster showcased his true class in the second innings when the pitch settled down.
Sarfaraz frustrated the New Zealand bowlers with his unorthodox style of play and played aggressive cricket. He achieved the half-century milestone off 42 balls, with 6 fours and 3 sixes.
Sarfaraz was involved in a terrific 136-run partnership with Virat Kohli, and the duo brought the momentum towards India. However, on the last ball of the day, Kohli was dismissed, which was a huge blow to the side. Sarfaraz Khan, on the other hand, remained unbeaten on 70 off 78 balls, including 7 fours and 3 sixes.
I hope he scores a double hundred here – Kuldeep Yadav on Sarfaraz Khan
Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav attended the post-day press conference where he stated that he is hoping to see Sarfaraz replicate his Irani Cup heroics in the Bengaluru Test and smash a double ton. He stated (as quoted by RevSportz):
“We enjoy his [Sarfaraz] batting a lot. You saw how he scored a 200 in the Irani Cup. I hope he scores a double hundred here too… He doesn’t allow the spinners to settle down. He counter-attacked the left-arm spinner [Ajaz Patel], and they had to bring in a fast bowler from one end.”
Kuldeep Yadav also spoke about Kiwi sensation Rachin Ravindra’s outstanding century. He said that the youngster has improved a lot and was hoping that the batter fails in upcoming matches.
“He played exceptionally well, choosing his scoring areas wisely. I had chances to get him out twice today. He has improved significantly over the last two years, especially against spin. Hopefully, he won’t score as heavily in the remaining matches.”
It’s tough to control runs here – Kuldeep Yadav
The left-arm wrist-spinner further revealed about the difficulty of controlling runs on the Bengaluru pitch, which had a lot in it for the batters. He said:
“It’s tough to control runs here. There wasn’t much turn yesterday, possibly due to the pitch being a bit damp. Without significant turn or rough patches, especially at this ground with its short boundaries, even good deliveries can be scored off. Credit to New Zealand, they batted really well.”
Rachin Ravindra and Tim Southee added a sensational 137 runs in their first innings to put India under tremendous pressure, and while talking about that partnership, Kuldeep Yadav said that Southee, who scored 65 runs, was very lucky while batting. He stated:
“My plan was straightforward — to get them out. Southee was fortunate today; his innings was chancy but he ultimately added crucial runs for his team.”
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