Kuldeep Yadav is currently India’s top white-ball spinner, having regained his status as a game-changer for the Indian team in recent months. Although he played a crucial role in India’s spin attack in 2018 and 2019, his performance declined in 2020 and 2021.
Notably, he was not even part of the consideration for the T20 World Cup squads in 2021 and 2022. However, his dedicated efforts and improvements in 2022 led to a successful comeback, and he has maintained his impressive form since then.
Kuldeep Yadav was chosen as India’s primary spinner for the 2023 World Cup. In the six matches he has participated in, he has taken 10 wickets with an average of 26.10 and a strike rate of 34.8. Importantly, his economy rate has been under five runs per over.
Kuldeep Yadav’s secret to success lies in his ability to surprise top batters with exceptional deliveries that spin in different ways. Let’s take a look at the three best deliveries he’s bowled in Cricket World Cups.
#3 Kuldeep Yadav bowled a fantastic ball to Babar Azam in the 2019 World Cup
Kuldeep Yadav made a memorable entrance on the big stage with an impressive delivery to dismiss Pakistan’s Babar Azam during the 2019 World Cup. This happened in a match at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Yadav bowled a delivery that initially moved gently away from Babar but then sharply spun back in. Babar was caught off guard, playing the wrong line, and the ball hit the stumps, getting him out. It was a brilliant delivery by Kuldeep.
#2 Kuldeep Yadav delivers the best ball in the 2023 World Cup
India faced England at the Bharat Ratna Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. England’s bowlers did well, limiting India to 229/9 in 50 overs. In their chase, England lost four early wickets to Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.
England fans hoped Jos Buttler, their captain, would lead with a great performance. However, he was bowled out by an incredible delivery from Kuldeep Yadav, which spun about 7.2 degrees.
Similar to the delivery to Babar Azam, this one was floated and spun sharply, confusing Buttler. Many fans consider it the best delivery of the 2023 World Cup.
#1 Kuldeep Yadav removes Glenn Maxwell’s leg stump
In India’s first match of the 2023 World Cup against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the pitch had some assistance for spinners. Kuldeep Yadav took full advantage of this. He delivered a length ball aimed at the stumps to Glenn Maxwell, the Australian all-rounder.
Maxwell tried a big shot, but the ball had some spin on it, and it went past him, ultimately hitting and uprooting his leg stump. Maxwell was in disbelief as he saw his stumps disturbed by that delivery.
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