‘Long live wrist spinners’ as Shane Warne hails debutant Kuldeep Yadav

The host broadcaster had played a video of legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne imparting some skills to young Kuldeep Yadav during the first Test in Pune as India coach Anil Kumble stood alongside Yadav and Warne. Just a month down the line, Yadav was wrecker-in-chief of Australia. (DAY 2 LIVE BLOG)

After Yadav’s sensational four wickets on Day One of his debut Test against Australia at Dharamsala on Saturday, Warne took to Twitter to lavish praise on the young Indian spinner. (DAY 2 SCORECARD)

“Always happy to help out any young spinner from any country. Long live the wrist spinners, Kuldeep was very impressive,” Warne tweeted on Sunday.

Yadav, who became the first chinaman bowler to play for India, credited Warne’s inputs.

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“Did you see the first wicket (David Warner)? That was not a chinaman. It was a flipper which I learnt from Shane Warne. So learning from Warne and then getting out his countryman is a nice feeling,” Yadav was quoted as saying on TV after the first day’s play.

“My idol is Shane Warne and I have followed him since my childhood. I only watch his videos and it was a dream come true when I met him. I could not believe I was speaking to my idol and sharing my thoughts on bowling and what all I should be doing. I did exactly what he (Warne) told me to do. He has promised that he will have another session with me in future,” the youngster said.

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Kuldeep’s first Test victim was the dangerous Warner, who was caught at slips by skipper Ajinkya Rahane on 56. He then claimed the wickets of Shaun Marsh (4), caught behind by Wriddhiman Saha, before bamboozling Peter Handscomb (8) and Glenn Maxwell (8) with his wrong’un. Yadav’s fourth victim was Pat Cummins (21), who chipped back a simple catch to back to the bowler.