Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who is almost a certainty to replace all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the Indian playing XI for the Pallekele Test against Sri Lanka, has insisted he will feel his hard work has paid off if he gets a chance to play in the dead rubber beginning Saturday.
Shortly after bowling India to a comprehensive victory in the Colombo Test on Sunday that gave the tourists an unassailable 2-0 series lead, Jadeja was suspended for the third and final Test of the series having accumulated six demerit points inside a 24-month period.
With Ravichandran Ashwin leading India's spin attack, Yadav will look to take the second spinner's place. However, the 22-year old faces competition from left-arm spinner Axar Patel, who has been selected as the backup option for the left-arm Chinaman for India's third Test.
"There is excitement wherever you play. There was excitement when I made my debut. If given a chance here in Sri Lanka, I will be happy because then I'll know that my hard work has paid off. There is excitement but at the same time, nervousness is also there as you have to perform as well," said Yadav, who is in line to make his overseas Test debut.
The Chinaman bowler further heaped praise on skipper Virat Kohli, saying the latter makes everyone comfortable with the way he interacts.
"Captain's belief is very important for a player. Virat (Kohli) bhai (brother) fully supported me in West Indies," he said.
"The way he interacts with players on the field and the way he talked to me during the One-Day Internationals, I felt good because winning the confidence of the captain is important for a player," he added.
The 22-year-old made his Test debut against Australia in the Dharamsala Test in March this year, where he impressed everyone with his four-wicket haul.