Kuldeep Yadav is one of those cricketers who benefitted greatly from the leadership and experience of his captains, people who could put their arms around his shoulders and set him down the right path, to make best use of his left-arm leg-spin weapons. With Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli retiring in quick succession, Kuldeep Yadav suddenly finds himself as one of the more experienced members of the Indian squad.
Shubman Gill’s elevation to Test captaincy marks the beginning of a new era in Indian cricket, coming in the wake of Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format. Alongside Rohit Sharma , who had led India since February 2022, fellow stalwarts Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin have also bid farewell to Tests since the start of India’s last Test series.
Taking from where Rohit Sharma left following his recent retirement announcement from India’s test cricket, the Men in White will now be led by Shubman Gill. BCCI named the 25-year-old young talent as India’s new Test cricket captain. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been selected as vice-captain for the upcoming five-match Test series against England
Kuldeep Yadav’s Test match records
Kuldeep Yadav has a record of 13 test matches and 24 innings. During that period, Kuldeep Yadav has delivered 2,093 balls, concessions 1,241 runs already, and has taken 56 wickets.
Despite limited opportunities in Test cricket, Kuldeep Yadav has done an able job. In 13 Test matches, the left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav has bagged 56 wickets at 22.16. He owns four five-wicket hauls under his belt with the best of 5/40. As per ESPNcricinfo, he owns 38 wickets in nine home matches at 23.39. Meanwhile, he has picked 18 scalps at 19.55 in away matches (home of opposition).
Kuldeep Yadav’s top figures in an innings are 5/40, and in a match, he has a record of 8/113. Kuldeep Yadav also has a bowling average of 22.16, an economy of 3.55,a strike rate of 37.3. This only shows how good he is with his bowling action. These figures support his effectiveness and wicket-taking ability, and as a result, he is also one of the most prominent spinners in India in recent Test appearances.
Kuldeep Yadav has played only two matches in SENA nations (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). In England, he went wicketless in his solitary outing, in 2018 at Lord’s. He conceded 44 runs from nine overs.
Kuldeep Yadav , who has been under the shadow of Ravichandran Ashwin, will look to cement his place in the Test squad. The left-arm spinner has so far picked 56 wickets from 13 Test matches. Kuldeep Yadav has played only one Test in England – Lord’s, 2018 – where he went wicketless. His record against England is decent, having taken 21 wickets in six matches at an average of 22.28.
Ahead of the England series , Kuldeep Yadav desires to emulate Shane Warne alike performance vs England in the upcoming test series. But everyone was taken aback when announcing the Playing XI in all the 3 Tests Indian think tank didnt even considered Kuldeep Yadav for a spot in the Playing XI. Former Indian legendary spinner Anil Kumble has echoed similar sentiments for Kuldeep Yadav and reflected that his inclusion could have been a boon for India.
Anil Kumble believes that including Kuldeep Yadav in the Playing XI at Lord’s in 3rd Test could have been advantageous for Team India
Kuldeep Yadav’s wait to play his 14th Test match continued as India decided to stick to spin-bowling all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the playing XI for the third Test at Lord’s. The Uttar Pradesh spinner has not played a Test match for India since October 2024.
Former India captain Anil Kumble said that he would have liked to have seen Kuldeep playing at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground. He feels that the 30-year-old should have also been picked in the side for the second Test at Edgbaston last week.
“I would certainly have wanted to have someone like a Kuldeep (Yadav) in the side. Even in the last game, I thought Kuldeep would have certainly been a part of it. But (Jasprit) Bumrah coming back, no-brainer. You need to be playing him in the XI and unfortunately, Prasidh (Krishna) misses out.
“What’s really good is all three fast bowlers have picked up a fifer already in two Test matches that’s gone so far. So that should give a lot of confidence to the bowling attack,” Kumble told ESPNcricinfo.
Kumble opined that it is too early to consider Sundar as a frontline spin-bowling option despite the fact that he took the wicket of England captain Ben Stokes in the third Test.
“Even the spinners hardly bowled. Washington Sundar hardly bowled, yes he got the crucial wicket of Ben Stokes. (Ravindra) Jadeja picked up a couple of wickets. But three all-rounders, all three of them, Jadeja is the bowling all-rounder, so to speak,” Kumble said.
“It is too early for us to speak about Washington (Sundar). He’s had a good series against New Zealand as a spinner. But I would certainly look at someone like Kuldeep (Yadav), if you are looking at two spinners he’s your frontline spinner especially overseas,” the bowling legend added.
Anil Kumble reckoned that Kuldeep Yadav could have played a crucial role for India in the latter stages of the Lord’s Test. He urged the management to understand the Kanpur-born’s potential as an attacking option.
“You need a frontline spinner and Kuldeep (Yadav) would certainly be the number one spinner in this line-up and especially with the way pitches are nowadays in England. Lord’s look a good surface.
It has always been a decent surface and it probably helps the spinners come into the game in the second half of the Test match but Kuldeep, especially the way England batters look to play he will be an attacking option and India certainly not looking at Kuldeep as an attacking option,” Kumble said.
Earlier in the day, cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar also rang the iconic Lord’s bell for the first time in his career. The bell ringing marked the start of play in the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy; the series is currently level at 1-1.
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