Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav has said that he used to talk to Wasim Akram when the former Pakistan captain was part of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) coaching staff. Kuldeep credited Akram and former KKR captain Gautam Gambhir for having a big influence on him. "Wasim sir used to like me a lot too. He didn't speak much about bowling, but he prepared me a lot in terms of mentally taking on the game. He prepared me to take on different situations in different ways, and taught me how to react when batsmen put you under pressure," Kuldeep told KKR's official website. Eoin Morgan Wants to Learn From KKR Captain Dinesh Karthik, England Skipper Says Was Excited to Be in Kolkata for IPL 2020.

"When he was at KKR, I used to sit with him and pick his brain a lot. I used to sit next to him in the dugout during matches and ask questions about real-time situations. I used to ask him what he would have done in certain situations, and he would test me by asking me what my approach would have been. Shadow Practicing, Meditation: What KKR Skipper Dinesh Karthik Is Doing in Self Isolation (Watch Video).

"So apart from Gauti bhai, he was someone who had a big influence on me during those early years. He also has a very good sense of humour, so it was great having him around," he added. Kuldeep has played 40 IPL matches and has picked 39 wickets. He made his IPL debut in 2016 season and featured in just three games.

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