'Pressure is on him, not me': David Warner takes a dig at Kuldeep Yadav

Courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: The mystery spinner Kuldeep Yadav became the third Indian to take an ODI hat-trick after he removed Matthew Wade, Ashton Agar and Pat Cummins off three consecutive deliveries during the second ODI between India and Australia at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.

David Warner said that he liked Kuldeep's confidence, days after the left-arm Chinaman bowler took a jibe at the Australian vice-captain.

Kuldeep, ahead of the second ODI, had said that Warner was under pressure against him and he hoped to keep him under pressure for the remainder of the series.

However, the Warner-Kuldeep battle did not play out in Kolkata on Thursday as the Australian opener fell to Bhuvneshwar Kumar in a fiery opening spell. Later, Kuldeep snared hat-trick to send the visitors hurtling towards a 50-run defeat.

Speaking to India Today, Warner said he lauded Kuldeep for his sensational feat but reiterated that the pressure was on the 22-year-old bowler and not him.

"I like Kuldeep's confidence. Credit to him for the way he bowled (in Kolkata). But the pressure is on him to perform, not me," Warner said. "You have played two Test matches and nine ODIs - when you are young, you have that confidence. I remember I had that kind of  confidence when I was young and probably said things I would not now.

"He has been doing well and he has confidence that is what he brings to the table. But when he speaks like that, he is bringing the pressure on himself."

"I feel good when I bowl to Warner. I set up a plan when I bowl to him. Hopefully, I will get him out on more occasions in the next four ODIs," Kuldeep had said on Wednesday.

Kuldeep dismissed Warner in Chennai with a slider that went straight through at the same line with the Aussie opener going for a cut; the edge was caught by MS Dhoni behind the stumps.

Warner was also flummoxed by Kuldeep on his Test debut in Dharamsala earlier in the year.