Kuldeep Yadav (AP Photo)

TimesofIndia.com in Dubai: If India are doing well in white-ball tournaments in the last two years as a bowling unit, it is because of Kuldeep Yadav, who takes those crucial wickets in the middle overs.Be it on the flattish tracks of India or the sluggish pitches in Dubai, no one else is as likely to take wickets against the run of play as him. It’s the nature of his bowling perhaps, as left-arm wrist spin is still a rare commodity, but he does leave batters a touch hesitant.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Kuldeep has been India’s lead spinner in the 2023 ODI World Cup, 2024 T20 World Cup, and 2025 Champions Trophy. India have won two out of the three ICC trophies, and Kuldeep has played a pivotal role in India’s white-ball dominance.Since working on his bowling post a knee surgery, which put his career at a crossroads, Kuldeep 2.0 is unstoppable.After revamping his action, his front arm is going nicely towards the target, his bowling arm is aligned with the target, and he is running straight through. He has shortened his stride, added a freer follow-through, and increased his pace through the air. All those traits have been visible in the two matches he has played in the ongoing Asia Cup, where he has bagged back-to-back Player of the Match awards.

But he has had his fair share of struggles. First came injuries, then loss of form and pace, which saw him fall behind in the pecking order. Kuldeep bounced back from adversity and, when it looked like he would be India’s leading spinner in overseas Tests—as predicted by former coach Ravi Shastri in 2019 after his heroics in Sydney—his batting credibility was questioned. He did not get a chance in the five-match Test series against England.Over the years, Kuldeep has been a cricketer who has always needed a comforting arm around his shoulder. It was MS Dhoni in his initial years, then captain Rohit Sharma, and in the IPL, he found unwavering support at Delhi Capitals under Rishabh Pant.In the Indian set-up, though, it looks like Kuldeep is alone.“It’s challenging when you’re not playing,” Kuldeep told the media in Dubai ahead of India’s match against Oman.“Rhythm is very important when you are playing your first game after a while. If you play regular games, your rhythm is set. You have an idea of bowling, how you are spending time in the field, how you are reacting on the field.”Kuldeep’s career has been like his bowling. It has turned, bounced, and drifted, but he has always had accuracy and zip. The England tour was another challenge for him. He couldn’t play in any of the five Test matches as India always opted for that extra batting cushion. Kuldeep admitted that the tour was challenging but he remained focussed on his routines.“Sometimes, in 3-4 matches, I felt that I could play, but unfortunately, I couldn’t because they wanted batting depth,” Kuldeep said.“The communication was very clear. I feel that is a very important thing.“Gauti bhai was very straightforward. Sometimes I felt that I could play, but as you know, because of the batting depth, I couldn’t. But it was nothing about skill or batting. I couldn’t make a place because of the conditions or the combination.”However, Kuldeep did not mince his words and said his role in the team is to take wickets.“You should always work on batting. But bowling is my strength,” Kuldeep said. “If I play in any team, I will play as a bowler. My job is to take wickets. If I don’t take wickets, there will be no space.“So it is very important to understand that you play as a proper bowler. Your job is to take wickets for the team. But practice sessions are done to improve any skill. I will continue to work on it. I have learnt that you should work hard in life; the rest will happen as it is supposed to.”Since the IPL, the first competitive game Kuldeep played was in the Duleep Trophy, where he bowled 35 overs and went wicketless. Kuldeep said it is easy to blame others, but instead, he took it on himself.“It is very tough to look inward and improve. What am I weak at? What should I work on? How should I become a better player? There are two ways. The player chooses which way he wants to go. But it is very important that you keep working hard, don’t leave anything, always keep playing. The game of cricket always shows you good days and bad days. But if you don’t play, you have time to work on yourself and become a better player when you get a chance.“This is how the game is. When you fail, you learn. Not every game is perfect for you. Not every game is a failure for you. You have to improve. You have to learn how to be better. Whether you pick five or six wickets, you always have hope that you can do better. Sometimes you get wickets, sometimes you don’t.”Kuldeep is not someone who is afraid of challenges. A few years ago on the show Breakfast with Champions, when host Gaurav Kapoor asked him about his life experiences, Kuldeep said: “Dhoke-dhakke sab khaya hun (I have faced betrayals and setbacks).”If India are to win the Asia Cup and then defend their T20 World Cup title at home next year, it is already clear that much would depend on Kuldeep Yadav.