Former English cricketer and skipper Micheal Atherton has picked spinner Kuldeep Yadav to be a leading wicket taker for India in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, set to commence on February 19. . This is because Kuldeep Yadav can be effective in the spin-friendly pitches in Dubai, where India will play all of their matches.
Kuldeep Yadav is the latest India regular to play in the Ranji Trophy as he has been named in Uttar Pradesh’s squad for their match against Madhya Pradesh in Indore, starting Thursday. It is a return to action for Kuldeep Yadav, having had a hernia surgery in October. The spinner’s last competitive match was in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru.
Kuldeep Yadav illustrious career in cricket
Kuldeep Yadav, known for his intriguing left-arm wrist spin, has established himself as an important member of India’s bowling squad. His unusual bowling movement and lethal variations, especially a deceptive googly, have regularly challenged batters and garnered him praise for his wicket-taking abilities. Kuldeep Yadav’s cricket career began at the age of 17 when he represented India in the Under-19 circuit in 2012. However, it was at the 2014 Under-19 World Cup that he made his true international debut.
Kuldeep Yadav made history by being the first Indian bowler to capture a hat-trick in the event, finishing as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 14 scalps, grabbing the attention of selectors and earning an Indian Premier League (IPL) contract with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2016. In the same year, Kuldeep Yadav made his List A debut for Uttar Pradesh and continued to impress with steady performances.
His outstanding performance in the 2017 Duleep Trophy, when he took 17 wickets in three games, established his status as a rising star in Indian cricket. Although Kuldeep Yadav made his IPL debut in 2016, it was in 2018 that he fully demonstrated his talent. With 17 wickets in 16 matches, he emerged as a vital player for the Kolkata side, gaining acclaim for his ability to confuse hitters with his spin magic. However, his form deteriorated in future seasons, and a knee injury forced him to miss the IPL 2021 before being dismissed by Kolkata.
In 2022, Kuldeep Yadav found a new home with the Delhi franchise, where he enjoyed a resurgence in form. Finishing as one of the tournament’s top-five wicket-takers with 21 scalps, Kuldeep Yadav reaffirmed his status as a premier spinner in the IPL. Yadav’s success in both domestic and IPL cricket prepared the door for his international debut in 2017, when he made an early impression with four wickets against Australia in the Test match.
Since then, he has become a regular in India’s bowling lineup in all three forms. Throughout his career, Kuldeep Yadav has achieved remarkable feats, including five-wicket hauls in all three formats of the game. He played a pivotal role for India in the 2023 ODI World Cup, claiming 15 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 4.45, showcasing his ability to perform on the grandest stage. Former England skipper now commentator Michael Atherton picks Indian bowler Kuldeep Yadav as leading wicket-taker of Champions Trophy 2025.
Michael Atherton picks Indian bowler Kuldeep Yadav as leading wicket-taker of Champions Trophy 2025
Former England skipper Michael Atherton heaped praise on Indian left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. He has predicted him to be the leading wicket-taker of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025. Atherton observed that Kuldeep Yadav possesses plenty of varieties and bowls with an attacking instinct that makes him quite a threat in Dubai.
Kuldeep Yadav, who averages 26.22 in 108 ODIs, is one of the five specialist spinners picked in their Champions Trophy squad. The 30-year-old played only in two matches in the three-game ODI series against England and managed as many wickets. Hence, it’s uncertain whether he will start the tournament.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Atherton said he will go with Heinrich Klaasen as the leading run-getter of the event. While the former opener claimed he had previously shortlisted Adil Rashid as the leading wicket-taker, he feels England will struggle to reach the top four.
He said:
“I will go for South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen as leading run-scorer as he is in hot form. Perhaps you should go for an opener or someone in the top three but he is a top-notch short-form player and should get plenty of opportunities.
“For wicket-taker I was going to say England leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who really is a master of his craft now, but as I have my doubts about them making the semi-finals, I will go for India’s Kuldeep Yadav. I love watching him bowl. He is a really attacking spinner with plenty of variety and is playing in a part of the world that will help spin more.”
England, clubbed in Group B alongside Australia, South Africa, and Afghanistan, succumbed to a 3-0 series sweep against India in ODIs before the Champions Trophy.
Yet another ex-England captain Naseer Hussain believes Rohit Sharma and Co. are the firm favourites to win the Champions Trophy 2025. Hussain also named Shubman Gill and Arshdeep Singh as the highest run-scorer and highest wicket-taker, respectively. He said:
“I am saying India will win it and therefore play the most games, so I will pick Arshdeep Singh as leading wicket-taker. He has only played nine ODIs so far but is India’s highest T20 international wicket-taker and can bowl at the start and end of an innings. For run-scorer, I will say Gill. Rohit loves the Champions Trophy and ICC events in general but Gill is in the form of his life in this format.”
Led by Rohit, the Men in Blue will open their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai. Their big clash against against Pakistan is on February 23 and will face New Zealand on March 2. The Asian Giants were the runners-up in the 2017 edition and lifted the title in 2013.