Team India’s premier spinner Kuldeep Yadav revealed that his love and passion for football have played a key role in keeping him mentally fresh during challenging phases of his cricketing journey. He added that following another team sport has given him a broader outlook on competition, especially during periods when he has not been part of the playing XI.
Kuldeep, a left-arm wrist-spinner, has been in outstanding form in the ongoing Asia Cup 2025. He produced brilliant figures of 4/7 against hosts UAE in Dubai in India’s tournament opener and followed it up with 3/18 against Pakistan. Remarkably, the 30-year-old delivered consecutive match-winning performances despite being benched throughout the five-match Test series in England.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of India’s final group game against Oman in Abu Dhabi, Kuldeep was asked if his passion for football has helped him deal with tough times when he was out of the team. He admitted that it has indeed helped him.
“100 percent. If you follow other sport, you get to know how it feels when a team is performing really well and you see the bench strength of the team. They have some unbelievable bench strength and you focus on them. They are not getting enough time – 15 minutes or 20 minutes, but they are so good players, they can start in any game.”
“Watching Football Improves My Game Awareness And Team Spirit” – Kuldeep Yadav
Expanding on how his interest in football has contributed to his growth as a cricketer, Kuldeep Yadav explained:
“You see how the big teams play and when they play against small teams, how they react. The communication and final decision making is so quick. I play cricket on the field; that’s my job. After that, I just enjoy football. There are so many games, you just watch them and enjoy. You just watch and admire them, especially in team games – the communication and how they lift each other.”
Kuldeep openly considers himself a fan of Barcelona and Liverpool, though he was spotted wearing Manchester United colors during a cross-sport interaction on India’s tour of England.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
