Published on: Sept 10, 2025 10:47 pm IST
Kuldeep Yadav’s microphone stopped working during the post-match press conference, but then Sanjay Manjrekar came to the rescue.
Playing his first match for India after six months, Kuldeep Yadav sent a rousing message to his detractors. He is India’s No. 1 spinner, and leave him out at your own peril. In the news for his treatment in the Test series against England, where he did not get to play even a single game out of the five matches, Kuldeep ripped through the UAE batting order and set the stage for India’s comfortable nine-wicket win without breaking a sweat. Kuldeep and Shivam Dube shared 7 wickets between them, but it was the wrist-spinner, whose figures of 4/7 that really knocked the stuffing out of the UAE batting line-up. Out of those four, three came in one over, and although India would have steamrolled the hosts anyway in their Asia Cup 2025 opener, Kuldeep made it that much quicker and easier.
The world wanted to hear what Kuldeep had to say for his Player-of-the-Match worthy performance. Hence, when it was his turn to speak, Sanjay Manjrekar asked his question. “There is one thing I have noticed over the last few years, which is that you don’t play each and every game for India, and there are these gaps that you have. But when you come back, you put in these kind of performances. It’s always back to your very best. How do you make that up?”, a more creative way to ask Kuldeep about his feelings on not getting enough chances lately.
When Kuldeep’s mic stopped working, Sanjay Manjrekar jumped right in
However, when it was time to answer, the mic malfunctioned and went off midway, making it impossible for anyone to hear. The only clear line we got out of Kuldeep was ‘it was tough for me’.
Manjrekar, the broadcaster, then took matters into his own hands, handing Kuldeep his mic, the working mic. “Maybe your mic is not recording everything that you’re saying. So let’s use this one”. And that’s when Kuldeep was able to speak properly. “Especially in this format, reading the length is important and the batters, what they are trying to do. Also about reaction to what the batters are trying to do against you.”
