Returning to where it all started, Kuldeep Yadav dismantles England batting with spin and trickery

Life came full circle for Kuldeep Yadav on Thursday. Kuldeep, who began his Test career at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala seven years back, returned to the exact venue on Thursday and helped Team India dismantle the England batting lineup with a five-fer on Day 1 of the fifth and final Test.

Back in that Test against Australia in Dharamsala, Kuldeep had introduced himself onto the Test scene with a four-wicket haul. That first wicket, of David Warner, could not come at a better time as it would set the platform of what’s to come in Kuldeep’s Test career. Seven years later, Kuldeep may have just played 10 more Tests but the 29-year-old has established himself as one of India’s most accountable spinners.

Highlights: IND vs ENG 5th Test Day 1

Against England on Thursday, Kuldeep provided India the first breakthrough with the dismissal of Ben Duckett in the 18th over, breaking a 64-run opening stand. While the dismissal of Duckett was pretty ordinary batting — he got a big leading edge that flew to Shubman Gill running from cover, it was the dismissal of Zak Crawley that caught the eye of many.

To dismiss Crawley, Kuldeep bowled a full ball outside off, persuading Crawley into the cover drive before the ball took a sharp turn, of almost 10.9 degrees, to hit the leg-stump. This was Kuldeep Yadav at his deceptive best, and with that delivery, he absolutely bamboozled Crawley, who was dismissed after a well-made 79 off 108 deliveries.

In between Duckett and Crawley’s dismissal, Kuldeep had also managed to remove Ollie Pope, who was stumped by Dhruv Jurel in the 26th over, just before lunch.

In the 44th over, Kuldeep struck again with the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow. It was a full length googly from Kuldeep which forced Bairstow into the drive, and the latter got a faint edge off his bat that flew to the keeper Dhruv Jurel.

Stokes dismissed for duck

Kuldeep is a man for the big occasions. He has shown that previously and he showed it once again with the timely dismissal of skipper Ben Stokes in the 46th over, after being struck LBW.

Kuldeep has also been in terrific form recently across formats. The wrist-spinner finished the ODI World Cup campaign last year with 15 scalps from 11 matches, and picked a five-fer in the T20I series against South Africa in South Africa, apart from registering figures of 1/3 in the same series.

Kuldeep has so far picked up 17 wickets in the ongoing Test series against England, and in the third Test win at Rajkot, he even contributed with the bat, playing a 91-ball knock of 27 in the second innings. On Thursday, Kuldeep finished with figures of 5/72 to dismiss England for 218. In reply, India were 135/1 at close of play having lost Yashasvi Jaiswal for 57.

If his recent performances are to go by, one would only feel there are better things to come from Kuldeep Yadav.