Kolkata: Veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla feels that his Kolkata Knight Riders teammate Kuldeep Yadav would enter this year’s IPL with an, “added pressure” despite having performed brilliantly for India in the last year.
Kuldeep, along with Yuzvendra Chahal has formed a deadly wrist-spin combination and the duo has had a lot of success in recent times. Kuldeep, for the record ended the ODI series against South Africa earlier this year with 14 wickets-the most by an overseas spinner in the, ‘Rainbow Nation’.
“The way he’s been bowling for India, it’s been really good. He’s been doing well both in domestic and international cricket. This season there will be added pressure on him,” said Chawla on the sidelines of an event- ‘Gameplan in your city’ on Saturday.
Chawla also felt that the chinaman bowler would do well, given his ability to soak pressure which he has shown while playing for India.
“When he came into the scene for the first time, he was quite raw and there were not much of expectations from him. But this season, when he enters the field there will be a lot of expectations. He will definitely do well with the kind of bowler he is,” he added.
Mystery spinner Sunil Narine, who has been an integral part of the Kolkata franchise was reported for suspect action in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) but Chawla backed the West Indian to put up a good show for the Knight Riders in the IPL.
“The best thing is the way he comes back after that (reported for suspect action). The effectiveness is the same. It’s just that the team has started playing him a bit on the safer side. When they play you on the safer side, it becomes a bit tough for the bowlers to pick up wickets,” said Chawla.
“But at the same time, it is an opportunity for us to take wickets as batsmen take chances against us. So me or Kuldeep, we get chance to pick up wickets. My role will always stay the same– to take wickets. When I joined KKR, Sunil was taking wickets and our combination worked really well.”
He also said that the team was looking forward to playing under their new captain Dinesh Karthik.
“I have not that played much under him. He is one of the experienced campaigners and who has done really well. The way he’s playing right now, the confidence will definitely help him to lead the side well,” he said.
KKR have also entrusted a lot of faith on youngsters like the U-19 World Cup winning cricketers-Shubman Gill, Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti and the trio would aim to make this IPL a memorable one for them as well as the franchise.
Chawla heaped praise on the trio, lauding Gill’s confidence when he walks out to bat.
“We all have seen their performances while winning the U-19 World Cup. All of them are top level cricketers. Shubman Gill is one amazing talent, and one to look out for. He looks different, the confidence when he walks in is different,” Chawla said.