Siddarth Kaul hopeful of becoming an all-format bowler for India

Siddarth Kaul has been in red hot form for Punjab with the ball in the Ranji Trophy, having picked up 25 wickets so far at an average of 12.92. His last three games have produced three five-wicket hauls, with a hat-trick included in the last one against Andhra Pradesh.

With such fine consistency and zip back in his bowling, Kaul believed he could play in all three formats for India and do well for the team.

Kaul told Hindustan Times,

“I hope I can become an all-format bowler. I’m ready to bowl in any situation and at any point in time. I’ve been bowling with the new and old ball for Punjab, no reason why I cannot do it at the international level.”

After picking up 17 wickets in IPL 2017 and 21 wickets in IPL 2018, Kaul came under the radar of the Indian selectors and was selected for the limited-overs series against England in 2018.

Wicket #1: Middle stump 🤩Wicket #2: Middle stump ⚡Wicket #3: Middle stump 🤯@sidkaul22's hat-trick 🙌🏻🧡#PUNvAP #RanjiTrophy #OrangeArmypic.twitter.com/X7f8qZmysh

— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) February 5, 2020

However, Kaul failed to impress with his cutters and knuckle balls at the international level and soon fell out of favour. Not losing heart, he started working on his basics and began making more use of the crease, which eventually helped him this Ranji season.

He added,

“Don’t think I changed anything. I just went back to the basics. I needed to figure out how to use my natural swing. I worked on my consistency, started using the crease, got the inswing and outswing going.”

Despite being in such great form, Kaul was not named in the India A squad for the tour of New Zealand. Alhough disappointed, Kaul believes in working hard and does not want to think much about selection because it is not in his control.

Kaul said,

“Obviously I was surprised (on not find his name in India A side for New Zealand tour)… You perform in all domestic circuits; you see my record, I don’t think I performed badly in domestic cricket. 230 wickets in Ranji, more than 100 (114) wickets in T20s. So it’s up to the selectors. I don’t have any God fathers. I can’t ask them to pick me.”