Kuldeep Yadav (born 14 December 1994) is an Indian international cricketer. He is a bowling allrounder who bowls Left-arm unorthodox spin and is a capable lower order batter who plays for India and for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket. He was signed by the Delhi Capitals for the Indian Premier League.
He has played for the Indian Under-19 cricket team and played in the 2014 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. On 18 December 2019, against the West Indies, he became the first bowler for India to take two hat-tricks in international cricket. On 17 January 2020, in the second ODI against Australia, Yadav became the fastest spin bowler for India, in terms of innings, to take 100 wickets in ODI cricket, in his 58th innings. He helped his national side to win the 2018 Asia Cup as he took the most wickets during the tournament at 10 along with Rashid Khan and Mustafizur Rahman, and being the highest wicket taker for India.
Early and domestic career
Yadav was born in Unnao but raised in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, the son of a brick kiln owner. In an interview, he revealed that it was his father who wanted him to continue playing cricket and even took him to a coach (Kapil Pandey). Inspired by bowling greats Wasim Akram and Zaheer Khan, he wanted to become a left-arm seamer. However, given his slight build, his coach insisted on him becoming a wrist-spin bowler as he was impressed with the turn and variations he was providing unknowingly at the trials. Since then, he started following and watching videos of Shane Warne's bowling and made him his role model.
"I keep watching videos of Warne. His grip of the ball, length of deliveries and use of the crease are unbeatable. I try to learn from the footage"
— Kuldeep Yadav in an interview
Yadav also revealed that earlier in his life, there was a dark phase in his life when he thought of giving up cricket and committing suicide, when he was not selected in the Uttar Pradesh’s under-15 team.
Yadav was a member of the Mumbai Indians squad in 2012 and signed up by the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014, whom he represented at the 2014 Champions League Twenty20.
In January 2018, Yadav was bought back by KKR in the 2018 IPL auction. Four yearslater, he was bought by Delhi Capitals in the auction for the 2022 season. Yadav won the player-of-the-match award four times, most by any player that season.