Follow UsKuldeep Yadav was not included in India’s XI for the Men in Blue’s first match of the 2024 T20 World Cup against Ireland. However, he is a key member of India’s campaign heading into the tournament. In T20Is since 2023, Kuldeep has the best bowling average for an Indian bowler - picking 15 wickets in 10 matches at 14.3 runs apiece.
Picked for his first T20 World Cup, Kuldeep mentioned that winning the World Cup is his dream and a long-term goal. "It's my dream to win the World Cup for India. This is my first T20 World Cup. I'm 29 years old and expect to play for as long as possible,” he said in the second episode of the DC (Delhi Capitals) Cafe.
Winning the World Cup is a long-term goal, and there's a bigger process behind it. If you're playing for India for a long time, you've got to win a World Cup. I think trophies do matter in the end, and you're playing to win the trophies. So winning the World Cup is my only dream,” Kuldeep expanded.
Kuldeep’s cricket career fortunes changed since he joined Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. He had two poor years in 2020 and 2021. He played only four matches for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2020 and was injured during the 2021 season, after which the three-time champions released him into the auction.
Since joining DC in 2022, Kuldeep is the highest wicket-taker for the franchise with 47 scalps. In the meantime, he has also established himself as the premier wrist-spinner for India across formats.
The 29-year-old credited Rishabh Pant, Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson (DC’s captain and coaches respectively) for his blockbuster return to the cricket field. "I never thought I'd change drastically over the last couple of years. When I joined DC in 2022, I did come in with changed skills, but I needed that confidence.
“I still remember when I met Ricky on the first day, he hugged me properly and said, we wanted to have you in our team. I know your skills. Don't worry about anything, and I will ensure you play all the games. So, Ponting helped me gain confidence, he used to give me ideas in training sessions. Rishabh as well, he is my brother, has always trusted me, and gave me full support.
"However, I worked a lot with Watson. I bonded strongly with him; I used to share everything, even when I wasn't playing well. I used to talk for hours with him in his room during the IPL (2022/2023). He used to ask me about everything I was uncomfortable with, and I used to open up freely to him. He has played a big role in this. I still have notes from those conversations on my phone, and I rewind those before I play matches. I share an excellent bond with him. He has played a huge role in my revival,” Kuldeep explained.
Kuldeep also spoke on his bond with his fellow spinners in the Indian team, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin.
“My friendship with Jaddu bhai is straightforward; we talk less about cricket. However, with Ash bhai, we talk a lot about the game. He brings in a lot of new ideas about bowling. Earlier, I didn’t use to try new things, but Ash bhai pushes me to try new things,” he said about the difference between Jadeja and Ashwin.
The left-arm spinner is an avid football fan. After cricket, he wants to get into football coaching to express his love for the game. "Beyond cricket, I'm hopeful of getting a license in football coaching. I'm not perfect, but I need to work on it a lot. Hopefully, when I leave cricket, I can invest time in it and take proper training. I've got friends who are associated with the game, and after cricket, if I want to do something, I would certainly like to contribute to football," he added.
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