So far, he has played 12 IPL matches and taken 14 wickets.
Returning from injury, India hopeful fast bowler Kuldeep Sen is expected to be a key impact player for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025.
Kuldeep Sen has been dealing with injuries for over two years since hurting his back while training for the second ODI against Bangladesh in December 2022. He returned to first-class cricket in January 2024 and played three games for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024 before suffering a knee injury. His first competitive match this season was Madhya Pradesh’s recent Ranji Trophy game against Kerala last week.
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Sen admits injuries are inevitable for any fast bowler. He says, injuries can come without warning at any point of time, but he has been doing everything within his power to minimize the risk and speed up his recovery. Even while recovering, his focus remained on returning to the field as quickly as possible.
“As a fast bowler, you have to be ready for injuries,” Sen told ESPNcricinfo. “An injury does not announce itself, there is no timeline for it but I have definitely worked on reducing it. Even when I was recovering from injury, my focus was to come back as soon as possible.
Kuldeep Sen said he was frustrated when injuries occurred. However, motivation came from the head coach of India, Rahul Dravid, and captain Rohit Sharma, who reassured him about his potential. They positively boosted his confidence, made him believe in his abilities, and helped him focus on his recovery, assuring him that he would soon be fit and get another chance to play for India.
“I was quite frustrated. But Rahul (Dravid) sir and Rohit (Sharma) bhaiya encouraged me. They told me that I have a lot of potential and that I would soon get fit and play for the Indian team again, ” he added.
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Kuldeep Sen is to play for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025 as the franchise bought him for INR 80 lakh. He first made a name for himself playing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2022 by taking 4 wickets against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
So far, he has played 12 IPL matches and taken 14 wickets. Injured after IPL 2024, he spent a long time recovering at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, missing the entire domestic season until last week. With IPL 2025 approaching, he now has another opportunity to shine, this time with Punjab Kings, the team that initially gave him his first trial. In the upcoming season, he can also be used as an impact player by Punjab.
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