Kuldeep Yadav’s origin story: A dream Kapil Pandey spun

Kuldeep Yadav’s coach on how he came into his own by embracing spin traditions without letting go of his own strengths.

Mentor and mentee: Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav with his childhood coach Kapil Pandey. | Photo Credit: SANDEEP SAXENA

In the bustling Kamla Club Ground in Kanpur, Kapil Pandey stands out with his unmistakable sports cap and sunglasses, a signature look for the former Navyman-turned bowling coach. Pandey, always approachable, welcomes discussions about the game with open arms, diving into intricate bowling details such as seam position and release angles. Yet his true passion shines when he talks about his most illustrious student, Kuldeep Yadav. 

In the realm of sports, it’s not uncommon to witness parents living their unfulfilled dreams through their children. Kuldeep’s journey closely follows this narrative. Ram Singh Yadav, a brick kiln owner in Uttar Pradesh, once pursued cricket, but life’s circumstances curtailed his aspirations. His dreams were now vested in his 12-year-old son, Kuldeep, whom he introduced to Pandey, then a teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Unnao. 

“Kuldeep’s father wanted me to groom his son into a district-level cricketer,” Pandey reveals. The young Kuldeep took to cricket effortlessly and expressed his desire to model his game after legendary Pakistan left-arm bowler Wasim Akram. 

Pandey, talking about those early days, shares, “I immediately told him that it wasn’t feasible. It might have been tough for the young boy to hear, as he believed in his abilities. While he had a knack for swing, he lacked the pace required to excel as a fast bowler.” 

Kuldeep faced a crucial decision in his journey. When Pandey advised him that swing alone wouldn’t suffice, Kuldeep’s immediate response was, “My ball swings a lot, doesn’t it?” He focused on the present, but Pandey was thinking about his future. Pandey firmly told him that he needed to either explore spin bowling or sit out, a response that left Kuldeep in tears. 

Watchful eyes: Kids (above) during a practice session at the Rovers Club run by Kuldeep Yadav’s coach Kapil Pandey.  | Photo Credit: SANDEEP SAXENA

To trick his coach, Kuldeep pretended to accept the decision to bowl spin but ended up bowling a chinaman delivery, a wrist ball. Pandey seized this opportunity. Although Kuldeep thought he had outsmarted his coach, Pandey persisted in encouraging him to pursue spin.

After just 10–15 days of consistent practice, Kuldeep made it to the senior squad and realised the significance of spin bowling in his game. He replaced Akram with Shane Warne on his vision board. 

Kuldeep’s tenacity was apparent from a young age. Although his pursuit of pace bowling didn’t pan out, he relentlessly sought more playing time and practice opportunities. “I would send him away after breakfast to get some rest or speak to him at the end of a day’s training about the plan for the next day, only for Kuldeep to insist that we continue bowling right then. He wanted to know everything there was to know about spin, variations, run-up tweaks, and deliveries that swung in and away. 

“I taught him everything by the time he was 13. At a local talent hunt, people were surprised that a teenager knew how to bowl a googly. If you ask me, only novel things are sold on the market. We used to think we should keep specialisation for a later stage in a cricketer’s life, but that’s not how the world works today. We need to guide children down their specific paths and fine-tune them towards excellence early on,” Pandey explains. 

Kuldeep’s unwavering determination, honed through persistent effort, proved crucial in a competitive era of Indian spin talent. Injuries and rigorous training under coach Pandey shaped his resilience. 

In 2019, during an IPL match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, an emotional moment captured Kuldeep’s resilience. Despite conceding 26 runs in one over against Moeen Ali, Kuldeep displayed unwavering determination. Pandey emphasises that Kuldeep’s form was unfairly criticised, especially during his stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). It was only after he joined the Delhi Capitals that he demonstrated his true potential, earning multiple Player of the Match awards. 

A five-month injury hiatus in 2021 allowed Kuldeep to reassess his technique. He worked on targeting the stumps, adjusted his bowling hand position, and introduced pace variations. Pandey continually reminded him that hard work would yield results, and Kuldeep embraced this ethos throughout his journey. 

Kuldeep recently helped India win yet another Asia Cup title. In the 2018 edition of the tournament, he ended with the joint-most wickets (10). This year, he won the Player of the Series Award for his incisive spells against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which handed India wins in both matches. 

Kapil Pandey interacting with the players.  | Photo Credit: SANDEEP SAXENA

The 19-year-old association between master and apprentice remains strong. Kuldeep always checks back with his coach before and after every series, whatever the level of competition. When success came knocking, Kuldeep always kept Pandey in mind. 

“When he was in the NCA, he once got me a pair of shoes. He called me to ask about my size. Our height and shoe size are almost the same, and he got me a pair. Whenever Kuldeep came back from his travels, he’d get me Oakley sunglasses. This swelling that I have under my eyes came from the long hours we spent training under the sun, and these glasses (pointing to the one he has on) are a pair he got me when he went on tour to Australia for the first time. And whenever they get old, he returns with a replacement. Whenever he comes back from tour, he’ll call me, and the first thing he asks is, ‘ Sir, aaj practice kab karna hai (Sir, when is practice today)? ’ Some things don’t change with Kuldeep,” Pandey fondly recalls. 

When the home World Cup gets underway on October 5 and India bids for a third crown, Pandey won’t be in the stands cheering on his boy. Instead, a 55-inch television has been installed at his home, and he keeps a constant prayer on his lips while keeping an eye on his disciple. 

“Remember that ball to Babar (Azam) in the 2019 World Cup? I want more of that. More of striking the stumps, please!” Pandey says.