Kaverappa says injury layoff made him a better bowler after four-wicket Duleep semi display
Vidwath Kaverappa took four wickets for South Zone on the opening day of the 2026-27 Duleep Trophy semifinal against North Zone at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on August 30, 2026, and said he used an injury-induced break to become a better bowler.
Between July 2023 and February 2024 Kaverappa’s career advanced rapidly: he was Player of the Series in the Duleep Trophy with 15 wickets in two games, played for India-A against South Africa-A and England Lions, and claimed 25 wickets from five matches in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy at an average of 20.16. The 2024-25 season was largely lost to a stress fracture in his shin, limiting him to two First Class appearances. Though fit in 2025-26, he was not an automatic pick when V. Vyshak and Prasidh Krishna were available and missed the Ranji semifinal and final against Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir, respectively.
Kaverappa’s four-wicket haul on the opening day of the semifinal was described by the bowler as part of his effort to revive form, and he said the performance signalled his intent to make the upcoming campaign count and return to his best. “I am not really over the moon or something like that,” the 27-year-old told reporters on Sunday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
He outlined a cautious approach to selection and performance: “I’m just taking one game at a time and not thinking too far ahead. I know the kind of bowling I can produce. So I cannot relax or be complacent with this.”
Reflecting on the injury period, Kaverappa said he used the time to work on his game and make technical changes. “I just thought about what best I can do and what I can add to my arsenal. And that’s how I added a little bit more strength, and made a few corrections to my action.”
Kaverappa also said the layoff brought maturity and clearer focus: “I am more in tune with my bowling. I am not chasing things that don’t work. I just focus on things that work and use it at the best possible time.”
The four-wicket performance came in the opening day of the Duleep Trophy semifinal, with Kaverappa aiming to carry that form through the remainder of the 2026-27 competition.
