India's premier wrist-spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, has credited West Indies veteran Sunil Narine for teaching him the importance of length in bowling—an insight that has helped him sharpen his craft over the years.

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Kuldeep, who played alongside Narine at Kolkata Knight Riders for several seasons before moving to Delhi Capitals, recalls how the mystery spinner emphasised bowling the right length.

"As a bowler, you must aim to dominate. Players like Jasprit Bumrah and Sunil Narine have mastered that art. I learned a lot from Narine when I was with KKR. He was ahead of his time, always stressing the importance of length," Kuldeep told the digital broadcasters.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya fined $14K for slow over rate

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"Back then, I believed I could rely solely on my skills, but now I realise he was absolutely right. Since my injury comeback, I've focused a lot on my length, and that has made a significant difference."

Kuldeep, who played a crucial role in Delhi Capitals’ thrilling one-wicket win against Lucknow Super Giants, where he took 2/20 in Visakhapatnam, acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining an economical spell in the IPL due to the presence of aggressive power hitters.

'IPL is brutal for bowlers'

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"The IPL is brutal for bowlers. You might pick up wickets, but it's tough to keep an economy rate of just 6 or 7 runs per over. The format is highly competitive with world-class batters," he said.

Now an integral part of Delhi Capitals, Kuldeep has forged a strong bowling partnership with Axar Patel, with whom he shares a long-standing camaraderie.

"Axar and I have played together since our U-17 days. Our understanding is very smooth. I remember during the U-19 World Cup in 2012, we were both in standby. We've been together since then, which speaks volumes about our bond."

"Our bowling partnership is simple—I attack, and Axar provides control, creating pressure on the batsmen. That pressure often results in wickets, whether for him, for me, or someone else in the team. His control in the middle overs is crucial," he added.

With Kuldeep and Axar leading Delhi’s spin attack, the Capitals will be hoping to finally secure their maiden IPL title this season.

(With inputs from agencies)