CHAMPIONS TROPHY 2025: Fit-again Kuldeep takes flight

Kuldeep Yadav's return from injury boosts India's Champions Trophy campaign with his spin wizardry and wicket-taking ability.

In the build-up to India’s Champions Trophy campaign, the focus was on Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness and the effect his absence would have on the pace battery. Mohammed Shami was returning from injury while the other two — Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana — didn’t possess too much experience.

If that was the case in the fast bowling department, a crucial member of the spin unit too was returning from a long layoff due to injury.

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Over the last three years, Kuldeep Yadav has been one of India’s premier bowlers in ODIs. Since 2022, the left-arm wrist spinner has the second-highest number of wickets for the Men in Blue (70 scalps at an impressive average of 23 in 45 games).

Kuldeep underwent groin surgery late last year and missed almost the entire domestic season. He had only the England series for some game time before travelling to Dubai.

Though the 30-year-old took only one wicket each in the two ODIs he played against Jos Buttler’s side before the ‘mini’ World Cup, skipper Rohit Sharma wasn’t perturbed by his returns in those outings and backed his lead spinner to the hilt.

Kuldeep’s ability to provide breakthroughs, in the middle overs as well as at the death, has been a key ingredient in India’s success formula. And he showed that again during the weekend, taking three wickets in the big game against Pakistan.