SA pitches suiting spinners: Kuldeep

Johannesburg, December 15

Surprised by the spin on offer during the third T20I at The Wanderers here, Kuldeep Yadav said the South African wickets, generally known for their pace and bounce, are also suiting spinners in the ongoing tour.

Kuldeep (5/17 ) had a perfect 29th birthday on Thursday as he became only the second Indian bowler to pick up multiple five-wicket hauls in T20Is after Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He became the first Indian spinner to reach the landmark. Both Kuldeep and Bhuvneshwar have two five-fors in T20Is.

“It turned out to be a special day. I have never thought about taking five wickets. I just wanted the team to win which is more important,” Kuldeep said. “I was concerned about my bowling because I was playing after some time, so wanted to get my rhythm. It was perfect today. The ball was coming out well from the hand and the conditions too suited the spinners a bit.”

“To be honest, the wickets are very good for the spinners. Sometimes, you have to vary your variations and if you get it right then it is very difficult to pick,” he added. — PTI

To honour Dhoni, No. 7 jersey retired

New Delhi: The BCCI has decided to ‘retire’ World Cup-winning captain MS Dhoni’s No. 7 jersey to honour his contribution to Indian cricket. He announced his retirement on August 15, 2020 and no other player has worn the No. 7 shirt since then. “He is a legendary player. His contribution to Indian as well as world cricket is immense,” BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said.