Kuldeep Yadav has been India's standout performer in the Asia Cup 2025, but the spinner's journey to success wasn't straightforward. Just weeks before,
the left-arm wrist-spinner had to endure the disappointment of sitting out the entire England Test series, where he wasn't included in the playing XI even once.
Now, with back-to-back Player of the Match awards against UAE and Pakistan, he has quickly reminded everyone of his value to the team.
The 29-year-old played a key role in India's dominant start to the tournament, returning magical figures of 4/7 against UAE and following it up with 3/18 against Pakistan. These performances have not only boosted India into the Super Four but also highlighted his resilience after missing competitive cricket during the English summer.
Addressing the media ahead of India's final group match against Oman, Kuldeep revealed the reason behind his non-selection in England. He praised head coach Gautam Gambhir for being upfront about the situation.
"Communication was clear. Sometimes I felt I could play, but unfortunately, due to batting depth or combinations, I didn't get a place. Gautam Bhai (coach) was straightforward about it. It wasn't about skill or batting but about team composition due to conditions. I enjoyed my time and learned a lot. When you don't play, you learn more by observing and become a better player. It's easy to blame others, but tough to accept and work on your weaknesses and improve," Kuldeep explained.
The spinner also admitted that coming into the Asia Cup after not bowling in match situations was a challenge. To bridge that gap, he used his time in England to focus on fitness and workload management.
"Challenges are always there because when you play the first game, your rhythm is very important. But for me, it was a very good time to work on myself, improve fitness, and add volume to my bowling. Then, I played the Duleep Trophy match where I was wicketless but bowled 35 overs, which helped me set my rhythm," he added.
With seven wickets in just two games, averaging a remarkable 3.57, Kuldeep is currently the tournament's second-highest wicket-taker. His performances have reaffirmed that despite being overlooked in England, he remains one of India's biggest match-winners in limited-overs cricket.
