I was depressed when KKR didn’t pick me in playing XI: Kuldeep Yadav opens up

Indian bowler Kuldeep Yadav, who was considered to be one of the most promising players of the country a couple of years ago, has revealed that he started developing self-doubt after constantly sitting on the bench, even during the recently suspended IPL.

Kuldeep Yadav was apparently baffled by the fact that he wasn’t selected in the playing XI by Kolkata Knight Riders even in a single match of the half concluded tournament this year. Speaking about the same, the young cricketer informed a news agency, “When you are playing non-stop, players do feel high on confidence. The more one sits out the more it gets tougher.”

“I felt a huge pressure on me when I played the Test against England in Chennai this February. Due to Covid, there was nothing happening, so things got really tougher even more last year. I did, sometimes I felt, ‘what is going on?’. It was difficult times. There were days when you feel serving drinks and being on the bench is for the best and then but there are days you don’t want to be in that place,” Kuldeep was quoted as saying.

He added, “I was especially (depressed) when I didn’t find a place in my IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders. I wondered, ‘am I that bad?’ It’s a team-management decision and it would be wrong to go and ask them. I wasn’t played in Chennai during the IPL despite knowing it’s a turner. I was a bit shocked but couldn’t do anything.”