Playing in all formats for India is a luxury: Kuldeep Yadav

India left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has acknowledged that playing all three formats “is a luxury,” but an attacking mindset has kept him relevant in the face of stiff competition.

Kuldeep returned home from Australia mid-way through a five-match T20I series to prepare for the South Africa Tests and made a decent impact in Kolkata, taking four wickets despite the hosts losing by 30 runs.

With 342 wickets across formats, Kuldeep’s utility cannot be understated, and he wants to continue focusing on match fitness in order to remain relevant in the longest format of the game, if not all.

“Obviously, you want to play in all formats, but if you get a chance to play Test cricket, you enjoy it. Playing in all formats for India is a luxury,” Kuldeep said on JioStar’s ‘Follow The Blues’.

“Everyone loves Test cricket. It’s a format that everyone enjoys, but it’s also very challenging. The next 4-5 years are very important for me in Test cricket, so I will focus on maintaining my fitness and keep performing like this,” he added.

Kuldeep added that he has clarity about his role and the support of the team management, which helps him go into matches with an attacking mindset.

“I am very clear as an attacking bowler; I know my role over the years. The coach and the captain have given me a lot of clarity and support. I always keep an attacking mindset and bowl accordingly. That’s my job: taking wickets. That’s how they (coaches) look at me.”

India pacer Mohammed Siraj said competing against tough teams like South Africa helps players learn and gain confidence.

“When you’re playing against a good team, and you’re bowling against good batsmen and taking their wickets, you get a lot of confidence. Because when you play against a strong team, you quickly realise where you’re making a mistake.

“So, it’s good that I’m playing against a team like South Africa. It’s a lot of fun,” said Siraj.