Mumbai, Dec 7 (IANS) India’s left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has put out a message on social media, asserting that the team has fought hard to bag the ODI series against South Africa 2-1 after winning the third and final match by nine wickets with a dominant display at the ACA-VDCa Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.

Kuldeep claimed 4-41 and, along with Prasidh Krishna (4-65), helped bundle out South Africa for 270 despite a super century by Quinton de Kock, who hammered a 89-ball 106 and a 67-ball 48 by skipper Temba Bavuma.

“Fought hard for this one,” said Kuldeep Yadav in a story on his Instagram handle.

Earlier, Kuldeep said he enjoyed bowling with a dry ball after KL Rahul won the toss and chose to bowl first, thus avoiding the dew that had affected their bowling in the first two matches of the three-match series.

“We started well, Arshdeep and Harshit, they kept tight lines in seven-eight overs. When spinners came, it was a bit gripping. Tried to mix the pace. Bowling with a dry ball is a luxury after the first two games. We lost 20 successive tosses; finally, we won it (toss). Very happy,” said Yadav after helping India bowl out South Africa.

Yadav had a near-animated discussion with skipper K.L. Rahul and Rohit Sharma as he pleaded with them to use DRS in the last couple of overs of his 10-over spell.

Yadav admitted that he is not that good with the DRS, and Rohit keeps pulling his leg for that.

“In DRS, I’m someone who’s very bad. He keeps pulling my leg. Whenever I’m bowling, if I try to hit the pad and succeed in that, I feel every ball is a wicket. When you have a former captain and KL too, especially in DRS calls, as a bowler, you feel like every not out is out,” said Kuldeep.

He said having seniors like Rahul and Rohit to guide him is a big help. “You need seniors like that to guide you. I feel wicket is good to bat on. Because of the 34-over ball-change rule, if the ball is dry, it was holding on the pitch. It wasn’t easy to score if there is turn. I tried variations too – legspin, googly, flipper,” said Kuldeep Yadav.

–IANS

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