India A took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match One-Day series with a comprehensive four-wicket victory over New Zealand A at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Sunday (September 25).
India's ace spinner Kuldeep Yadav dazzled with a stunning hat-trick to mop up the Kiwi tail while explosive batter Prithvi Shaw with his quickfire half-century put the pressure from the start to make the run chase easy for the hosts.
Meanwhile, India's star left-arm wrist spinner, who returned with a brilliant spell of 4/51, opened up on his patchy phase and said he didn't know how to cope when he lost his place in the Indian team but is not afraid of failures anymore after reaping dividends for changing his rhythm following a prolonged injury lay-off. He also talked up his battle with injury and how it helped him roar back to form.
After recovering from his wrist injury, Yadav played a T20I against West Indies last month before featuring in the three-ODI series against Zimbabwe.
Yadav said the injuries and subsequent recovery made him understand himself and his body.
"When you keep playing, you learn. You want to play more games but that could not happen. I actually didn't know how to cope up with it.
"The injury was lucky for me. I could understand my body and on comeback, began thinking about my rhythm. It is challenging but you have to see the other part as well...It is always tough playing for India," he said.
Yadav, who has featured in 7 Tests, 69 ODIs and 25 T20Is, formed a part of the famous 'KulCha' along with leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal but he has been in and out of the national side in the recent past due to loss of form and injuries.
"I did not know how to cope with not getting enough game time. After the injury layoff of 4 months, I realised that I need to bowl quicker and began working on it. I am not afraid of failures now," said Yadav after the match.
"When you fail, you learn. When I came back to the Indian side in January. I was not afraid of failure, I wanted to enjoy the game. My focus is to keep hitting the good lengths. (Getting) wickets is not in my hands...just want to bowl in good areas," he said.
"To be honest, when I got injured, coming back from there, understanding my rhythm was very important. I was a little bit slow. After surgery, I have changed that rhythm, bowling with more effort and more control." Yadav had undergone a surgery after sustaining a knee injury during the IPL in September last year.
After a long rehabilitation process, he was included in the three-ODI series against West Indies and also replaced injured Washington Sundar in the three T20s against Sri Lanka in February.
However, Yadav featured in just one ODI against West Indies and one T20 against Sri Lanka. He suffered another injury, this time on his right hand while batting in the nets ahead of the T20I series against South Africa in June.
"Right from the IPL, coming back, I was bowling well in the IPL before I got hit in the nets and was out for 2 months.
"In the West Indies, I bowled really well and in Zimbabwe as well. Accuracy and speed were phenomenal. Then coming back, I'm playing red ball (unofficial Tests vs New Zealand 'A'). I played 2 games here...in the first game also the control was beautiful. I am very happy."
The third One-Dayer will be played at the same venue on Tuesday.
