Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Kuldeep Yadav races against time ahead of Sri Lanka series
Kuldeep Yadav is a cricketer who bowls the ball in a spinning, tricky way so batters miss it.
He plays for India, but lately the team has not let him play many matches.
In one set of games, he just sat and watched from the bench.
To get better, he went to England and played five games for a club called Yorkshire in just ten days.
His old coach, Kapil Dev Pandey, believes Kuldeep's big chance has finally arrived.
The two worked hard together in a city called Kanpur before the trip.
Now Kuldeep is in Sri Lanka for an important Test match series.
Some former players think India should give him more chances, because he can take wickets anywhere.
If he does well, he might finally get to play Test matches for India on a regular basis.
Kuldeep Yadav spent nearly all of India's July white-ball tour of Ireland and England on the bench.
He joined Yorkshire's One-Day Cup campaign, playing five matches in ten days to regain rhythm.
The 31-year-old wrist-spinner has just 18 Test appearances in nine years, with Washington Sundar preferred ahead of him.
Coach Kapil Dev Pandey says 'Uska waqt aagaya' - his time has come - before the make-or-break Sri Lanka series.
Former spinner Venkatapathy Raju says Kuldeep should have been made the second spinner as soon as R Ashwin retired.
- Who
- Kuldeep Yadav, India's 31-year-old left-arm wrist-spinner, along with his childhood coach Kapil Dev Pandey and former Indian spinner Venkatapathy Raju.
- What
- Kuldeep is preparing for a make-or-break Test series against Sri Lanka after playing one-day cricket for Yorkshire to regain match rhythm.
- When
- Following India's July white-ball tour of Ireland and England, ahead of the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka.
- Where
- Colombo (warm-up match) and Galle in Sri Lanka; earlier in Leeds, England, and Kanpur, India.
- Why
- To prove he deserves a regular Test place after years of limited opportunities behind R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.
Play Kuldeep regularly
Back team combinations
Spinner selection after Ashwin's retirement
Play Kuldeep regularly
Venkatapathy Raju argues Kuldeep should have been made the second spinner the moment Ashwin retired - 'somebody like Kuldeep shouldn't be warming the bench' - because his wrist-spin can take wickets on any pitch.
Back team combinations
Team combinations have kept him out so far, with Washington Sundar preferred ahead of him and Ravindra Jadeja playing as an all-rounder.
Judging Kuldeep's recent Test returns
Play Kuldeep regularly
His one five-wicket haul in five Tests should not be judged harshly because playing rarely makes it harder to build trust and bowl longer spells, according to Raju.
Back team combinations
The return has been viewed through a 'harsh lens of a spinner not stepping up,' and at international level he must handle the pressure and deliver, as Pandey acknowledges.
- Player
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Age
- 31 years
- Test appearances
- 18 in nine years
- Tests since Ashwin's retirement
- 5
- Five-wicket hauls since Ashwin's retirement
- 1
- Yorkshire appearances
- 5 matches in 10 days
- Childhood coach
- Kapil Dev Pandey
- Spinner-role rivals
- Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar