India | Bowler
Kuldeep Yadav is an Indian international cricketer. A left-arm unorthodox spinner, he plays for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket and Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. He was an integral member of the Indian team that won the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
| Full Name Kuldeep Yadav | Born December 14, 1994, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh | Age 30y 144d |
| Batting Style Left hand Bat | Bowling Style Left arm Wrist spin | Playing Role Bowler |
Teams
Kuldeep Yadav: The Chinaman Sensation of Indian Cricket
Early Career & Rise to Prominence
Kuldeep Yadav’s cricketing journey began in Kanpur, where he initially trained as a fast bowler. However, his coach Kapil Pandey recognized his natural flair for spin and encouraged him to switch to left-arm wrist bowling . This pivotal decision laid the foundation for his unique style. At 17, he represented India in the Under-19 circuit in 2012 9, and his breakthrough came at the 2014 Under-19 World Cup , where he emerged as India’s leading wicket-taker and became the first Indian bowler to claim a hat-trick in the tournament .
Domestic Cricket
Kuldeep plays for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket. He made his first-class debut in the 2013–14 Ranji Trophy season and steadily built his reputation as a wicket-taking spinner. In the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy, he claimed 15 wickets in seven matches, showcasing his ability to perform in longer formats 2. Despite being primarily an international player, his domestic contributions remain crucial for Uttar Pradesh, especially in white-ball tournaments like the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
International Career
Kuldeep’s international debut came in June 2014 in an ODI against Zimbabwe. However, his rise to stardom accelerated after the 2018 Nidahas Trophy , where he took 10 wickets in 5 matches, earning the Player of the Series award 7. Key highlights include:
- ODI Hat-Tricks : He is the first Indian bowler to take two hat-tricks in ODIs (2018 vs Australia and 2019 vs West Indies) .
- 2019 World Cup : He was India’s highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 14 scalps , including a five-wicket haul against England .
- Test Debut : Made his Test debut in October 2018 against West Indies, taking 4 wickets in his first innings .
- T20I Impact : With 50+ wickets in T20Is, he remains a vital cog in India’s spin attack across formats.
Kuldeep Yadav IPL factfile
– Kuldeep Yadav is the most successful left-arm wristspinner in the IPL.
– He was first introduced by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2016 in a continuation of their faith in left-arm wristspin, first starting alongside Brad Hogg and then replacing the veteran Australian.
– His form fell away in the 2019 and 2020 seasons, and he missed IPL 2021 due to a knee injury before being let go by KKR.
– In 2022, after six seasons with KKR, he was picked by Delhi Capitals (DC). The move seemed to work for him, 2022 being his most prolific IPL season: he took 21 wickets at a strike rate of 14.19, finishing in the tournament’s top-five wicket-takers. He has stayed with DC since.
– There was a bit of a lull in 2023 when Kuldeep managed only ten wickets in 14 matches, but he bounced back in style in 2024, finishing the season with 16 wickets in 11 outings. Kuldeep was one of four players retained by DC ahead of IPL 2025 for INR 13.25 crore (USD 1.58 million approx).
Strengths & Bowling Style
Kuldeep’s chinaman bowling (left-arm wrist spin with a right-hand action) sets him apart. His strengths include:
- Variations : Carrom ball, googly, and a sharp wrong’un that deceive batsmen .
- Economy in Middle Overs : He excels in choking run flow and taking wickets between overs 10–40 in ODIs.
- Death Bowling : Surprisingly effective with slower deliveries and yorkers in T20s, despite traditional skepticism about spinners in death overs.
- Wicket-Taking Ability : His knack for breaking partnerships and taking consecutive wickets (evident in his hat-tricks) makes him a game-changer .
Legacy & Impact on Indian Cricket
Kuldeep Yadav revolutionized left-arm wrist-spin in India , a rarity before his emergence. He has inspired a new generation of spinners, proving that unconventional techniques can thrive at the highest level. His achievements include:
- Record-Setter : First Indian to take two ODI hat-tricks and the fastest to 100 ODI wickets (in 54 matches) .
- Global Recognition : Ranked among the top 10 ODI bowlers by the ICC in 2019 .
- Overcoming Challenges : Battled injuries and format-specific criticism to remain a key player in India’s limited-overs setup.
Despite fluctuations in form, Kuldeep’s legacy as a pioneer of chinaman bowling in India is secure. His ability to take wickets in clusters and adapt to modern cricket’s demands ensures his place in Indian cricket history .
Kuldeep Yadav Career Stats
Bowling
| Format | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 13 | 24 | 2093 | 1241 | 56 | 5/40 | 8/113 | 22.16 | 3.55 | 37.3 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| ODIs | 113 | 110 | 5754 | 4786 | 181 | 6/25 | 6/25 | 26.44 | 4.99 | 31.7 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| T20Is | 40 | 39 | 860 | 971 | 69 | 5/17 | 5/17 | 14.07 | 6.77 | 12.4 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| FC | 43 | 73 | 7970 | 4816 | 164 | 6/79 | 9/120 | 29.36 | 3.62 | 48.5 | 9 | 8 | 0 |
| List A | 126 | 123 | 6414 | 5266 | 202 | 6/25 | 6/25 | 26.06 | 4.92 | 31.7 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| T20s | 172 | 168 | 3654 | 4533 | 212 | 5/17 | 5/17 | 21.38 | 7.44 | 17.2 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
Batting & Fielding
| Format | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 13 | 17 | 2 | 199 | 40 | 13.26 | 698 | 28.51 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| ODIs | 113 | 42 | 21 | 207 | 19 | 9.85 | 407 | 50.85 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| T20Is | 40 | 7 | 3 | 46 | 23* | 11.50 | 59 | 77.96 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| FC | 43 | 57 | 7 | 1050 | 117 | 21.00 | 2711 | 38.73 | 1 | 6 | 124 | 7 | 15 | 0 |
| List A | 126 | 50 | 24 | 261 | 25 | 10.03 | 497 | 52.51 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| T20s | 172 | 54 | 33 | 290 | 35* | 13.80 | 331 | 87.61 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 3 | 40 | 0 |
Kuldeep Yadav T20 Stats
Bowling
| Tournament | Teams | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL | 2 teams | 95 | 92 | 1980 | 2651 | 99 | 4/14 | 4/14 | 26.77 | 8.03 | 20.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| CLT20 | KKR | 5 | 5 | 120 | 150 | 6 | 3/24 | 3/24 | 25.00 | 7.50 | 20.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Batting & Fielding
| Tournament | Teams | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL | 2 teams | 95 | 37 | 23 | 194 | 35* | 13.85 | 224 | 86.60 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 20 | 0 |
| CLT20 | KKR | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
Debut/Last Matches of Kuldeep Yadav
Test Matches
Debut
India vs Australia at Dharamsala – March 25 – 28, 2017
Last
India vs New Zealand at Bengaluru – October 16 – 20, 2024
ODI Matches
Debut
West Indies vs India at Port of Spain – June 23, 2017
Last
New Zealand vs India at Dubai (DICS) – March 09, 2025
T20I Matches
Debut
West Indies vs India at Kingston – July 09, 2017
Last
India vs South Africa at Bridgetown – June 29, 2024
FC Matches
Debut
Central Zone vs North Zone at Mohali – October 22 – 25, 2014
Last
M. Pradesh vs UP at Indore – January 30 – February 02, 2025
List A Matches
Debut
Railways vs UP at Nagpur – November 07, 2014
Last
New Zealand vs India at Dubai (DICS) – March 09, 2025
T20 Matches
Debut
UP vs Vidarbha at Nagpur – March 31, 2014
Last
DC vs SRH at Hyderabad – May 05, 2025
2025 IPL TEAM
Delhi Capitals Sunrisers Hyderabad Rajasthan Royals Chennai Super kings Gujrat Titans Kolkata knight Riders Lucknow Super Giants Mumbai Indians Punjab Kings Royal Challengers Bengaluru