Kuldeep Yadav's Magic Returns: 5 Takeaways from His Fifth Five-For in Test Cricket

After missing the entire England tour, Kuldeep Yadav's return in Delhi was less about rust and more about rhythm. His 5/82 against the West Indies at Kotla was a reminder of what India miss when they bench him. The drift, dip, and deception were back - this was vintage Kuldeep dismantling a clueless batting line-up. In just 15 Tests across 8 years, he now has five five-wicket hauls. Few in Indian cricket's long spin tradition have done so much with so little opportunity.

 A Collection of Spells - Five Hauls, Five Stories

Each of Kuldeep's fifers tells a tale of impact, not accumulation:

5/57 vs West Indies (Rajkot, 2018) - Announced himself as India's new wrist-spin hope.
5/99 vs Australia (Sydney, 2019) - Out-bowled senior pros in tough conditions.
5/40 vs Bangladesh (Chittagong, 2022) - A comeback that reignited his Test career.
5/24 vs England (Dharamsala, 2024) - His most ruthless display in turning conditions.
5/82 vs West Indies (Kotla, 2025) - Proof that class endures despite years on the bench.

Most of these spells have come on the subcontinent - all destructive, all decisive, all reminders of an underused weapon.

The Subcontinent Specialist — By Design, Not Default

Despite his proven ability to trouble top orders, Kuldeep remains India's "home luxury". On foreign tours, he is often the spare spinner or travelling net bowler, sacrificed for an extra seamer. His last overseas Test was in Sydney in 2019, where he claimed five - and was told afterward that he was India's "No. 1 overseas spinner." Since then, he's been a peripheral figure outside Asia. It's a contradiction that underlines India's selection conservatism abroad.

The Thinker, Not the Showman

Kuldeep's evolution has been as much mental as technical. Once plagued by confidence dips and injuries, he's rebuilt himself through control and patience. There's less flight, more accuracy, yet the same old guile. When he's bowling in rhythm, even batters who've read every line of his wrist movement can't decode the dip. His 2025 Kotla spell was not just art - it was endurance and intellect.

"I think, obviously, the difference with Kuldeep is he's a mystery spinner and he's not the easiest to pick. So, I think that buys him a little bit more time. He has an element of danger compared to the finger spinners. Kuldeep puts the ball in the right area and spins it both ways," India assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate said at the end of Day 3.

India's Spin Future Still Needs Him

With Ashwin retired and Jadeja carrying a heavy all-round load, Kuldeep's role feels vital again. He gives India a left-arm wrist-spin angle no one else can replicate. Every time he plays, he wins games. 
Kuldeep Yadav: 15 Tests, 5 Fifers, Innumerable What-Ifs.

For now, the Kotla crowd saw what England, Australia, and South Africa might still fear - the spin sorcerer India doesn't use enough.  

Topics mentioned in this article

Kuldeep Yadav India Cricket Team West Indies Cricket Team India vs West Indies 2025 Cricket