2 Reasons Why Kuldeep Yadav Can Win India The World Cup 2023 – The World Cup 2023 is less than two months away, and India’s bowling department is shaping up nicely as Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj are set to make their comebacks in the upcoming Asia Cup.
What needs more sorting is the spin-bowling department with the likes of Chahal and Axar still remaining on the fringe. One spinner, though, seems to have cemented his spot in India’s XI for Asia Cup and for World Cup is Kuldeep Yadav through the sheer weight of his performances this year.
He could be the X-factor India would need to do well in the World Cup 2023. His story has been heartening as he was in the wildernss for a couple of years after the 2019 World Cup, but he’s made a strong comeback this year.
Here’s why Kuldeep Yadav could help India win the World Cup 2023:
Kuldeep Yadav is in brilliant form in ODIs this year
Kuldeep has been in sensational wicket-taking form in 2023 in ODIs. This year, he’s taken 22 wickets in 11 matches – going at 2 wickets per game, which is terrific. Of the 10 teams which will feature in the World Cup 2023, only two bowlers have more wickets than Kuldeep Yadav this year – Hasarange and Theekshana, and both the Sri Lankan spinners played against much weaker teams in the ODI World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe.
In the 11 ODIs this year, he’s gone wicketless only once – and that was in the 2nd ODI against Australia where he bowled only one over in the match that Australia won chasing.
Kuldeep has been arguably the best ODI spinner this year so far. He’s struck every 21.1 deliveries, took wickets at an average of only 17, and maintained a tidy economy of just 4.87. This proves that not only Kuldeep has been scalping wickets regularly, but he’s also been holding down runs – two factors any captain wishes for in his bowler.
His mystery continues to hold a leash over the opposition batters
The best part about his wickets tally this year is that all of his 22 wickets have come in the middle-overs phase – between overs 11 to 40, when the batters are not really as aggressive as they are in the first 10 powerplay overs or in the last 10 death overs. Getting wickets in the middle-overs period is challenging, with the field spread out and batters looking for singles and doubles to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking.
To prise out wickets in this phase, as England and New Zealand showed in the 2019 World Cup, is very important for the success of a team in a tournament as it keeps the lid of pressure on the batting side. Kuldeep is making the dents in the middle overs in ODI cricket, toppling the best of the batters of the opposition.
During his tough period in 2020-2022, many felt that Kuldeep Yadav’s mystery was getting solved, the chinaman, a rare left-arm wrist-spinner in India who has control over his lines and lengths, rocked back to form with new variations and more control over his bowling.
On the pitches in India, Kuldeep’s good form, his mystery, variations, and shrewdness as a bowler will be of great help, and could eventually lead to India lifting their third ODI World Cup trophy.
