Kuldeep Yadav is one of the most underrated match-winners in Indian cricket history. He played a pivotal role in India’s improvement in ODI cricket after the ICC Champions Trophy 2017. Yadav formed the famous ‘KulCha’ duo with Yuzvendra Chahal as the two wrist-spinners helped the Indian cricket team win many matches.
Both Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal are no longer the first-choice spinners of the Indian team, but the former holds some unique records which no other Indian spinner has ever achieved.
(Stats Credit: Shebas)
1. Most hat-tricks by an Indian
Kuldeep Yadav owns the prestigious record for the most hat-tricks by an Indian. He has taken two hat-tricks, which means twice in his career, he has taken three wickets in three balls. He took a hat-trick in an ODI against Australia in 2017 and then against West Indies in 2019. Recently, Yadav also took a hat-trick while playing for India ‘A’ in an unofficial Test series against New Zealand ‘A’.
2. Kuldeep Yadav has a 5-wicket haul in all 3 formats
The left-arm wrist-spinner has taken a five-wicket haul in Tests, ODIs and T20Is. None of the other Indian spinners has accomplished this feat.
3. Least matches for 100 ODI wickets
As mentioned ahead, Yadav was a wicket-taking bowler for India in ODIs after the 2017 Champions Trophy. He took only 58 matches for his 100th ODI wicket, breaking the record of Harbhajan Singh.
4. Kuldeep Yadav has a 6-wicket haul to his name in ODIs in England
The conditions in England generally assist the fast bowlers and the swing bowlers. However, Kuldeep has achieved a rare feat of taking six wickets that too in an ODI in England. It was in the first ODI of the 2018 ODI series against the England cricket team, where he bowled a spell of 6/25.
