Sports

Prince Yadav Credits Tennis‑Ball Cricket for His Death‑Overs Prowess

By Sandip G

Prince Yadav, the seamer from Najafgarh, says that his experience with tennis‑ball cricket on dusty Delhi outskirts helped develop the arm speed that is central to his bowling. He explains that the heavier, non‑bending tennis ball forces a bowler to rely on air speed and yorkers, which in turn sharpens the arm. Yadav practised with wet tennis balls that were heavier on dewy evenings, and he believes this training prepared him for real match situations.

Yadav’s ability to bowl fast yorkers and low full‑tosses has earned him the nickname “India’s Mr Death Overs” after just eleven games. In the 10 overs he has bowled at the death (overs 16 to 20), he has conceded less than ten runs per over and taken five wickets, with only one six hit.

He can vary the line of his yorker, targeting the base of the off‑stump, just outside it, or wide. Most of his yorkers travel at 140 kph or more. He rarely attempts slower yorkers, which have a higher margin for error. Even when a yorker misses the perfect spot, it usually lands as a low full‑toss, rarely in the hittable good‑length zone.

In both New Zealand matches, Shreyas Iyer gave Yadav the last over. He conceded only a four and a single chancy ball that was scooped over the wicket‑keeper. Of the 12 balls, six were yorkers or close to them; three were low full‑tosses, two were slower short balls, and only one was a good‑length slow delivery that found the fence.

Yadav’s field settings reflect his strategy: third man and long leg are deep, and fine‑leg is close to guard against edges. The mid‑wicket area is largely vacant because a full‑blooded yorker is difficult to hit there. He believes that when the ball drifts in dew, it becomes almost unplayable for left‑handers.

He says he can bowl six yorkers if he wants to and is not afraid of a full‑toss. He follows the philosophy that “you don’t bowl the yorker, but feel it.” Yadav describes himself as an attacking bowler who seeks wickets even at the death.

India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel praised Yadav’s mindset and calmness in tight situations, noting that he has performed exceptionally well when brought on in difficult moments.

Since switching to the leather ball, Yadav has added an out‑swinger and a “magic” ball that once broke Virat Kohli’s stumps in an IPL match. He credits his tennis‑ball days for the skill that made him a formidable death‑overs bowler.