Wisden overview
Built like a beanpole with stringy limbs, Nilesh Kulkarni has bowled many long and memorable spells of stingy left-arm spin for Mumbai. He uses his great height effectively, requiring batsmen to closely watch the ball dipping tantalisingly from above eye level. Not a huge turner, he relies on consistency of line and length, and has developed a valuable straighter, quicker one. Kulkarni's first ball in Test cricket claimed a wicket, but he had to wait more than three and a half years for his only other one so far. Meanwhile, for Mumbai, he has forged a useful left-arm spin alliance with Rajesh Pawar, and has twice softened up the Australians in their traditional tour match at the old Brabourne Stadium. Rahul Bhattacharya

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