‘We discussed some technical stuff’ - Paras Mhambrey reflects on Kuldeep Yadav’s development

Team India’s former bowling coach, Paras Mhambrey’s tenure with the Men in Blue, ended after the T20 World Cup 2024. As part of head coach Rahul Dravid’s coaching staff, Paras Mhambrey joined in November 2021 and has overseen several players being developed under him.

One such player has been star spinner Kuldeep Yadav. The 29-year-old was not a part of India’s squad back when Mhambrey joined, but through his sheer willpower and talent and through Mhambrey’s guidance, Kuldeep managed to make a comeback for the side.

Speaking of his development, Paras Mhambrey came forward to talk about how getting Kuldeep back into the squad was quite technical and how it was evident that Kuldeep was not happy with the results at the time.

“I remember the conversation we had when we went to Sri Lanka during the pandemic. We went there as support staff in 2021 when some of the others were in England. Kuldeep was out there, he was just not in the Indian team. He was not around the Indian circuit for a while. I remember having a little conversation with him, it was technical work. You could understand standing in the nets what he was trying to achieve, and you could relate with the fact that he wasn’t happy with the results,” Paras Mhambrey told the Hindu.

“We discussed some technical stuff that may help him in rotating the arm better, cutting down slightly on his speed and hitting the desired length correctly. It actually started from there. Once you do that, and you build that confidence with each other, the process just smoothens,” he added.

Three years since Mhambrey’s appointment as bowling coach, Kuldeep Yadav has become one of the most important players in the men in blue’s arsenal. The star spinner was exceptional for his side in the T20 World Cup 2024 and has been a regular performer for India ever since he has earned his place back into the line-up.