India’s latest spin sensation Kuldeep Yadav is enjoying his stint with the national team currently. He is one of India’s crucial spin bowlers in the limited formats of the game and is steadily working his way up the Test squad. However, at the age of 13, Kuldeep thought about ending his life after he failed to get selected in the under-15 team of Uttar Pradesh.
“I had worked hard for my selection, but when I was not picked, I mentioned suicide in frustration. It happens to everyone in the heat of the moment,” Kuldeep said in an interview with Hindustan Times. He had also decided to quit the game.
However, he did not lose heart and once again worked hard. The results are there for everybody to see today.
Interestingly, he also wanted to be a fast bowler and not a spinner.
“I always wanted to become a seam bowler, but my coach forced me to become a spinner. When I bowled a few balls (Chinaman), I was asked to make it a habit. Otherwise, I didn’t know I was bowling something different,” he said.
Kuldeep is part of the India squad that will face Sri Lanka in a three-Test series that begins in Kolkata from Thursday.