Workload management of India’s World Cup-bound players during this year’s Indian Premier League has been the biggest talking point among fans and franchises. However, Kuldeep Yadav, the country’s primary spinner in white ball cricket, has echoed the sentiments of chief selector MSK Prasad saying that the pressure of playing in IPL helps players prepare for the bigger challenges.

“IPL not only matures you, it prepares you for international cricket. The pressure you face in the IPL makes it easier to handle situations for India,” said Yadav in an interview with The Telegraph ahead of the new season.

Yadav, who first played for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Champions League T20 in 2014 but had to wait for two years before making his IPL debut, said the then captain Gautam Gambhir wanted him to be absolutely ready before being given a long rope and that worked wonderfully well for him.

“Gauti Bhai gave me the confidence that I’d play all matches and wouldn’t get dropped even if I didn’t perform to KKR’s expectations. Gauti Bhai wanted me to become a player joh lamba khele [someone who will have a long career], as opposed to having a short career,” said the 24-year-old.

Yadav also said that he isn’t one to be satisfied easily and has the habit of setting targets for himself in every series. “I don’t make them public. I set targets in every series or every edition of the IPL... To be honest, I set targets I can achieve and, then, push myself to go beyond... I see people tend to get satisfied rather easily and early in whatever they’re doing. I’m not one of them.”

Answering a query on the most challenging batsmen to bowl to, Yadav pointed to Australians Steve Smith and Usman Khawaja. “Steve Smith in the only Test I bowled to him [on debut]... Then, in the recent ODIs against Australia, Usman Khawaja batted very well against me and sowed doubts in my mind... I discussed that with [his childhood coach Kapil] Pandey Sir when I went home for a few days after the series... Khawaja plays spin rather well... I was told what I ought to have done and Pandey Sir’s tips will indeed come in handy the next time I bowl to Khawaja,” he added.

You can read the entire interview here