If left-arm wrist spin is an art, then Kuldeep Yadav is its maestro!

Indian cricketer Kuldeep Yadav is a prominent figure in modern cricket, epitomising the art of left-arm wrist spin. Initially aspiring to become India’s next Zaheer Khan, physical constraints nudged him towards spin bowling. Rest his history, as Kuldeep found his true calling under the magical influence of Shane Warne.

Kuldeep was born on December 14, 1994, in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. First making waves in the 2014 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Kuldeep Yadav impressed with his prodigious talent. Over the years, Kuldeep has made a huge name for himself in modern cricket, and his skills have been important for India in all formats.

His ability to deceive batters with his sharp turn and quick variations made him an important player for both India and his IPL teams. He has always been a key figure in the IPL, having played for three different franchises.

Kuldeep Yadav’s Domestic Career

Kuldeep Yadav, in an interview, revealed that earlier in his life, there was a dark phase in his life when he thought of giving up cricket and committing suicide, when he was not selected in the Uttar Pradesh’s Under-15 team.

However, his toil finally paid off when he made his debut for Uttar Pradesh in the 2016-17 season of the Ranji Trophy, India's premier domestic first-class competition. His ability to turn the ball both ways and deceive batsmen with his unorthodox style quickly earned him recognition.

Kuldeep Yadav’s IPL Career

For his rarity, Kuldeep Yadav grabbed the Mumbai Indians’ attention ahead of the IPL 2012. Kuldeep’s IPL career began with the five-time champions MI, but it was with the Kolkata Knight Riders that he gained much-needed exposure and match time.

The left-arm spinner made his maiden appearance in the cash-rich league in 2016, but it took him two years to arrive on the big stage. His ability to bamboozle batters with his wrist spin earned him recognition and praise from cricket enthusiasts, with his best season for KKR coming in 2018 when he took 17 wickets in 16 matches.

In 2022, he switched to the Delhi Capitals, where he displayed his brilliance with the ball on multiple occasions. The UP-born amazed one and all, scalping 21 wickets in 14 matches.

Playing for the Delhi Capitals did wonders for Kuldeep, who again became an all-format bowler for India, with his 2.0 version being even better. The left-arm spinner picked up 16 wickets in 11 outings in 2024.

Kuldeep Yadav’s Test Career

Kuldeep Yadav’s traditional guile and equally unconventional style earned him national recognition, leading to a call-up to the Indian squad for the home Tests against Australia in 2017. On March 25, 2017, he was handed the coveted Test cap by wrist spin wizard Anil Kumble in Dharamsala. Yadav finished with four wickets on debut, laying the platform for a decisive Indian win as the Border-Gavaskar trophy returned to India.

One of his notable achievements came in 2017, when he became the third Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in ODIs. The feat was accomplished during a match against Australia at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Kuldeep replicated his performance against the West Indies in 2019, becoming the first Indian bowler to take two hat-tricks.

However, it is worth mentioning that, in an eight-year career spanning just 15 matches, Kuldeep has spent much of his professional life in the shadows of India's celebrated spin duo, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.

Thus, after Ashwin’s retirement in December 2024, Kuldeep Yadav is finally receiving the consistent run in the Indian Test team that he has long deserved, after years of sporadic appearances.

Kuldeep Yadav’s ODI Career

On 23 June 2017, Kuldeep Yadav made his ODI debut for India against the West Indies. However, the match got abandoned due to rain, and Yadav didn’t get to bowl. In the next match, he left a mark by taking three wickets. Only a few days in, he became the third Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in ODIs, after Chetan Sharma and Kapil Dev.

The pair of KulCha (Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal) took India to another level, with the team considering the downfall of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in white-ball cricket. 

It is worth mentioning that the Indian wrist spinner duo, ‘KulCha’ in 2019, were extremely instrumental in India’s historic first-ever ODI bilateral series victory over South Africa in that country. The spin duo had shared 33 wickets between them in the 6-match ODI series with Kuldeep finishing as the highest wicket taker with 17 total scalps.  

However, in their first big tournament, the ODI World Cup 2019, the inexperienced spin duo were taken to the cleaners by England's Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow, eventually forcing their partnership into oblivion.

Coming back to form, on 18 December 2019, against the West Indies, he became the first bowler for India to take two hat-tricks in ODIs.

Kuldeep Yadav expanded his dominance in the Asia Cup 2023. Yadav picked the figures of 5/25 against arch-rivals Pakistan, following yet another match-winning performance, claiming 4/43 against Sri Lanka. 

In the process, became the quickest Indian spinner to reach 150 ODI wickets in terms of matches played (88), going past Anil Kumble. He finished with nine wickets and earned the player of the tournament award as India won the tournament.

Cementing his place in the ODI set-up, Yadav entered the 2023 Cricket World Cup with sky-high confidence, picking up 2 wickets for just 42 runs against Australia and 2 wickets for 35 runs against Pakistan.

However, a dip in wicket-taking cast doubt on Kuldeep's ability. Nonetheless, he answered his critics with a splendid bowling spell against England, getting 2 for 24. Kuldeep ended the tournament with 15 wickets in 11 games with an economy of less than 4.5.

Following his impressive form, Kuldeep Yadav was also included in India's squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He delivered a solid performance in the final against New Zealand, claiming 2 crucial wickets while conceding just 40 runs in his 10 overs. His disciplined bowling played a key role in India’s triumph, further establishing him as a reliable match-winner in major tournaments.

Kuldeep Yadav’s T20I Career

The UP bowler made his T20I debut for India against the West Indies on 9 July 2017. However, for almost a year, the UP-born failed to impress massively.

Notably, on 3 July 2018, Yadav took his first T20I five-for, becoming the first left-arm wrist-spin bowler to take five wickets in the shortest format of the game. He also became only the third Indian, after Yuzvendra Chahal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, to take a five-wicket haul in a T20I.

In February 2019, riding on such performances, Kuldeep jumped numerous places to claim second position in the ICC T20I Bowlers Rankings.

Kuldeep Yadav was included in India's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup and played a crucial role in the team's title-winning campaign. His wicket-taking ability and consistent performances were instrumental in India’s success, showcasing his value as a match-winner on the global stage. 

Once again, the mystery spinner is all set to lead India’s spin attack in the T20 World Cup 2026. 

(As of february 2026)