"It's my dream to win the World Cup for India. This is my first T20 World Cup. I'm 29 years old and hope to play as long as possible. Winning the World Cup is a long-term goal, and one that has a big goal behind it." The process is there. If you are playing for India for a long time, you have to win the World Cup.I think in the end trophies matter, and you are playing to win trophies, the Cup is my only dream,” Kuldeep said in the Delhi Capitals podcast.
The Chinaman bowler further shared his dreams beyond cricket and said, "Beyond cricket, I hope to get a license in football coaching. I'm not perfect, but I need to work a lot on it. Hopefully, when I will leave cricket, I can put time into it and take proper training, I have friends who are involved in sports and after cricket, if I want to do something, I would definitely like to contribute to football, "They said.
The leg spinner put in a sensational performance which led to his inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad.However, a few years ago, he faced a difficult phase. Before joining Delhi Capitals in 2022, he struggled with not getting any opportunities in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and his international career also suffered.
He also revealed how DC head coach Ricky Ponting, captain Rishabh Pant and (then) assistant coach Shane Watson helped him revive him to bring out the Kuldeep 2.0 version.
“I never thought I would change so much over the years. When I joined DC in 2022, I came with changed skills, but I needed that confidence.I still remember the first day I met Ricky, he hugged me right back and said, 'We wanted to have you on our team, I know your skills, don't worry about anything, and I Will make sure you play all the games.
The 29-year-old spinner said, "So, Ponting helped me gain confidence, he used to give me ideas in the training sessions. Rishabh also, he is my brother, he has always believed in me and given me full support. "
He also recalled chatting for hours with Watson in the dressing room during the 2022 and 2023 IPL, adding that he still has the notes of those conversations saved on his phone. “However, I worked with Watson a lot.I was strongly attached to them; I used to share everything, even when I was not playing well. I used to talk to him for hours in his room during IPL (2022/2023). He would ask me about everything that I was uncomfortable with and I would talk to him openly. He has played a big role in this.
Kuldeep said, “I still have the notes of those conversations on my phone and I rewind them before playing the match.I have a very good relationship with him. He has played a huge role in my revival."
Reflecting on his relationship with the experienced spin duo Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep said that Ashwin has helped him try new things in his bowling.
"My friendship with Jaddu bhai is simple; we talk less about cricket. However, with Ash bhai we talk a lot about sports.He brings a lot of new ideas about bowling. Earlier, I had not tried new things. But Ash Bhai inspires me to try new things," he said.
The Chinaman bowler further shared his dreams beyond cricket and said, "Beyond cricket, I hope to get a license in football coaching. I'm not perfect, but I need to work a lot on it. Hopefully, when I will leave cricket, I can put time into it and take proper training, I have friends who are involved in sports and after cricket, if I want to do something, I would definitely like to contribute to football, "They said.
The leg spinner put in a sensational performance which led to his inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad.However, a few years ago, he faced a difficult phase. Before joining Delhi Capitals in 2022, he struggled with not getting any opportunities in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and his international career also suffered.
He also revealed how DC head coach Ricky Ponting, captain Rishabh Pant and (then) assistant coach Shane Watson helped him revive him to bring out the Kuldeep 2.0 version.
“I never thought I would change so much over the years. When I joined DC in 2022, I came with changed skills, but I needed that confidence.I still remember the first day I met Ricky, he hugged me right back and said, 'We wanted to have you on our team, I know your skills, don't worry about anything, and I Will make sure you play all the games.
The 29-year-old spinner said, "So, Ponting helped me gain confidence, he used to give me ideas in the training sessions. Rishabh also, he is my brother, he has always believed in me and given me full support. "
He also recalled chatting for hours with Watson in the dressing room during the 2022 and 2023 IPL, adding that he still has the notes of those conversations saved on his phone. “However, I worked with Watson a lot.I was strongly attached to them; I used to share everything, even when I was not playing well. I used to talk to him for hours in his room during IPL (2022/2023). He would ask me about everything that I was uncomfortable with and I would talk to him openly. He has played a big role in this.
Kuldeep said, “I still have the notes of those conversations on my phone and I rewind them before playing the match.I have a very good relationship with him. He has played a huge role in my revival."
Reflecting on his relationship with the experienced spin duo Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep said that Ashwin has helped him try new things in his bowling.
"My friendship with Jaddu bhai is simple; we talk less about cricket. However, with Ash bhai we talk a lot about sports.He brings a lot of new ideas about bowling. Earlier, I had not tried new things. But Ash Bhai inspires me to try new things," he said.
