Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers has expressed his belief that spinner Kuldeep Yadav will be a key player for India in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, set to commence on February 19. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, AB de Villiers said that star left-arm leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav would prove to be an X-factor for Team India. 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, 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 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.
South African cricket icon AB de Villiers has identified Kuldeep Yadav as India’s ‘X factor’ for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, set to commence on February 19.
AB De Villiers Names 30-Year-Old Star Kuldeep Yadav As India’s X-Factor For Champions Trophy 2025
India will be gunning for their second ICC trophy in less than a year when they take the field to begin their campaign for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. India have already declared their squad for the mega tournament.
The two players who would be absolutely crucial for the Men in Blue would be Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli. Kohli has always been India’s best player at ICC tournaments, while Bumrah has been in excellent form in recent times. However, the legendary South Africa batter has not named any of these two superstars as the X-factor for the Indian team.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, AB de Villiers said that star left-arm leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav would prove to be an X-factor for Team India. This is because he can be effective in the spin-friendly pitches in Dubai, where India will play all of their matches.
“Kuldeep Yadav is also in the Indian team, who I think can prove to be an X-factor for India. India is going to play its matches in Dubai. Spinners can get an advantage on the pitch there. Kuldeep can perform well for India,” de Villiers said.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has revealed their 15-player team, which includes Kuldeep Yadav, for the upcoming eight-team tournament. Kuldeep Yadav missed being in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after he was instructed to report to the NCA to fix his long-term issue on his left groin. Now the star spinner is set to make his return in the upcoming ODI series against England. However, before that he is set to make his return to cricket in the final match of the group stage of the Ranji Trophy 2025 for Uttar Pradesh.
India Squad For Champions Trophy 2025 :Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill (VC), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk.), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Rishabh Pant (wk.), Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kuldeep Yadav