New Delhi, Sep 2 — Channelling the all-round versatility of Ravindra Jadeja and the unwavering confidence of Hardik Pandya, the 19-year-old left-arm spinner Kartik Yadav has emerged as the defensive engine behind Kashi Rudras' bid for a historic third consecutive UP T20 League title.

The two-time defending champions are set to face Noida Super Kings in a high-stakes Eliminator, after rebounding from a mid-season four-match losing streak to secure third place in the league stage with 10 points. The turnaround extends Kashi’s streak of reaching the playoffs to four consecutive seasons.

Kashi enter the playoffs brimming with confidence, thanks to Kartik's match-winning spell against table-toppers Meerut Mavericks, where he took 3-12 in four overs to bowl them out for 119. Across the regular season, Kartik has picked up 14 wickets in 12 matches at an economy rate of 6.29, an average of 15.29, and a strike rate of 14.57.

“Playing-wise, I would say Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya as well, as he has that mindset. Jadeja does left-arm spin bowling, left-handed batting, and his fielding is also good. I see him as a contributor for the team in all three departments, whenever needed in any format.

“So, I have the same mindset whenever I am readying to play for any team, be it my Kashi team or domestic team, and hopefully, if I play for India, I will play for the Indian team in every department. As far as Hardik bhaiya is concerned, I see and want that mindset of his. I see that he is confident.

“No matter what the situation is, there is no pressure on him. He handles the pressure well, and he has in his mind that I am the best -- not in a negative sense, but in a positive sense. So, I admire that a lot about him,” Kartik told IANS in an exclusive conversation.

For Kartik, the turning point came at the Madan Mohan Malviya Stadium in Prayagraj when coach Amit Pal advised him to swap the bat for the ball. In his early days, Kartik focused strictly on scoring runs, even in school cricket.

But Pal urged him to give spin bowling a try, and from there, it was no looking back for him. The son of a CRPF official, Kartik soon moved to a cricket academy in Ghaziabad to hone his newly embraced craft, something which has paid off very well.

Despite his standout performances with the ball, including a best spell of 4-7 this season, also the second-best figures this season, Kartik’s primary focus is on run restriction rather than chasing wickets.

“The plans were not much (before picking 3-12). I did well in the other matches without much thought in mind. Whenever the team needed me, I used to perform, be it in bowling or any other department, and the result was in our favour.

“My personal point of view is that I am not much behind in picking wickets. I try to give away as few runs as possible or save as many runs as possible for my team. Be it in bowling, which is more so the case, as I try to give as few runs as possible while coming out to bowl. As for the wickets, it is not in my hands.

“The rhythm has always been in peak mode. I don't have any pressure. Again, I will talk about the process – like whatever we have done so far, if we play good cricket with good body language and good energy, obviously, we will win the final,” he added.

Reflecting on the team's mid-season slump, Kartik praised the dressing room culture maintained by captain Karan Sharma and head coach Dhruv Singh, which helped them to bounce back.

“We had faith in ourselves and God that we would play well, come back, and enter the playoffs. After losing four matches, in the dressing room, the morale of the players was down. It's just a matter of saying that it doesn't happen.

“But inside, you feel that you shouldn't have lost. In fact, all the players were backing each other and instilling belief that we could still make things happen. Our staff, coaches, and captain backed us, saying that we can still do good things, play well, and go to the playoffs. Hopefully, we will win the final. The captain is the one who brings the team together, and the coach is the one who leads everyone.

“On both sides, things have been very positive. There has been a lot of relaxation. They have never let us feel any pressure -- be it when on the field with the captain or outside the ground. They have always created a positive atmosphere and have shown us that we can do it. That is the biggest thing - they believe in us. They have never let us feel negative and have always been positive, and that matters a lot for the players,” he added.

Kartik highlighted the collective effort of Kashi's bowling unit, operating alongside seamer Atal Bihari Rai and ambidextrous spinner Vijay Yadav, who have taken 14 and 13 wickets respectively.

“There is no pressure as such, as I have faced such situations before. There was no pressure, as just like there is a batting partnership, we have a bowling partnership. It’s not just the three of us - there are other bowlers in our team who have done well - like Rishabh Rajput and Sangam, who is a young player. There are other fast bowlers who have done well. There are good bowling partnerships, and the result is in front of us,” he added.

The 19-year-old’s form in the UP T20 League follows early exposure to multi-day domestic cricket, having represented Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy last season and taking a five-wicket haul on debut against Tamil Nadu.

“I will explain the experience to you. After last year’s league, I didn't go for the Ranji Trophy straightaway. I got selected in the U23 team and performed in that. I then got selected for senior red-ball games and got a five-wicket haul on debut – it’s a big achievement at this age, as per me. But I will always have the hunger to play more cricket at a higher level,” Kartik said.

Looking ahead to the knockout fixture against Noida Super Kings, Kartik signed off by maintaining a process-driven outlook. “I don't think too much, and I don't plan too much. We just want to keep doing it the way we play because we know who the players are and what they can do.

“We know their tactics and what their team can do. So, there is no pressure - let's work on the process, and the rest, let's see, as results are in God's hands. Everyone's family will be happy. Not just mine, families of all players and staff members,” he concluded.

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