Sawt Falasteen - India's Kuldeep finds Warne inspiration at World Cup

Kuldeep, a left-arm wrist spinner, has shone at the World Cup with eight wickets to be India's go-to slow bowler on turning pitches.

He claimed two key wickets in India's latest victory over New Zealand on Sunday while a match-winning 2-35 against arch-rivals Pakistan earlier in the tournament also stood out.

Starting out as a fast bowler and a fan of former Pakistan left-arm quick Wasim Akram, Kuldeep turned to spin on the advice of his coach.

"If there is any doubt (with how I am bowling), I look at his old action," Kuldeep said in an International Cricket Council (ICC) column on Monday.

"I feel I am very lucky to have spent some time with him and to have been his good friend. I used to watch him on the television and observed how he used to dismiss the batters and his planning."

Kuldeep added: "He was quite strong mentally. When I played in Sydney (2019 Test), he helped me quite a bit. I learnt my bowling from him and he is the person I have followed forever."

Warne, who died in March, 2022, at the age of 52, is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time, taking 708 wickets in Tests and 293 in ODIs.

Kuldeep, 28, overcame a serious knee injury to return to the international game last year. He has taken 160 wickets in 95 ODIs since his debut in 2017.

E.Qaddoumi--SF-PST