Siddharth Kaul thanks MS Dhoni for tips in Asia Cup 2018 nets

Bowling to India batsmen at nets in Dubai before the ongoing Asia Cup has paid dividends for Siddharth Kaul as the Punjab pacer was hurriedly named replacement for the injured Shardul Thakur on Thursday. Rubbing shoulders with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and a few tips from MS Dhoni during nets may have inadvertently prepared Kaul for the Asia Cup even though he wasn’t part of the earlier squad.

In Alur, for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Kaul was abreast of the happenings in Dubai. But little did he know that he would have to return within four days of reporting for state duty. Then, Kaul along with fellow pacers Avesh Khan, M Prasidh Krishna and spinners Shahbaz Nadeem and Mayank Markande were called by the Indian team management to bowl in the nets before the Asia Cup. Now, he might even get to play a match.

It’s Kaul’s consistency in the domestic circuit that had brought him first in national reckoning. And although he was picked for the home series against Sri Lanka in 2017, Kaul could make his ODI debut seven months later against England in July. Not picked for the Asia Cup, Kaul was mindful of putting the nets in Dubai to good use.

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“I have modeled my bowling on Bhuvneshwar. It was great to have him, Dhoni and Rohit (Sharma) during nets. Those jittery times got over in England itself and I was really keen on learning about the conditions in Dubai. Dhoni is an encyclopedia of cricket. I was just following his instructions and applying them in the nets. One has to stay hydrated in the hot conditions in order to bowl to the best of ability. I hope to make use of that small stint in the nets during the upcoming matches,” said Kaul, who has worked on his speed and strengthening in recent months, before leaving for Dubai.

Having already made a mental note of the Dubai pitches thanks to his earlier trip, Kaul is quietly confident of bowling well if he gets the chance. “The wickets in Dubai are like India, although the heat makes it a bit challenging, especially for the bowlers. The quick bowlers won’t get enough from such conditions. The key to success would be bowling wicket to wicket,” said Kaul.