‘I don’t think Kuldeep would have appreciated me’ – Dinesh Karthik on his equation with Yadav during his KKR captaincy stint

Kuldeep Yadav and Dinesh Karthik. (Source -Twitter/X)

Dinesh Karthik, the seasoned Indian cricketer currently donning the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) jersey, recently shared insights into one of the most profound regrets of his cricketing journey and opened up about his strained professional equation with spinner Kuldeep Yadav during their shared tenure at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) back in IPL 2019.

In a candid discussion, Karthik, who has been setting the IPL stage ablaze with his adept finishing skills, delved into his IPL voyage, particularly highlighting his remorse regarding decisions made in the past. 

Addressing the complexities of leadership in cricket, Karthik shed light on his interactions with Kuldeep during his captaincy stint at KKR. Acknowledging the challenging dynamics of managing a team, he emphasized the necessity of tough conversations, particularly recalling his dealings with the young spinner. 

“Leading a franchise is altogether a different job. There are many other cultures, and you will find it challenging to deal with other individuals. You can be very honest with them. As a leader, you will lose out on certain friendships,” he said.

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“During my time as KKR captain, Kuldeep (Yadav) was not doing as well as he is right now. There were tough conversations with him, and I don’t think he would have appreciated me at that stage. I had to be tough with him.”

However, despite the strains of leadership, Karthik expressed satisfaction at witnessing Kuldeep’s growth as a cricketer

“It was a hard time for Kuldeep. I think those tough times have made him a better bowler today. My bad luck is that I had to be a part of that bad phase in his life. I hope he understands what I did. I do not want him to appreciate it and be ok with it. You have to take decisions for the team and there was nothing personal,” concluded Karthik.