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Cricket World Player of the Week - Kuldeep Yadav

©CWM

Kuldeep Yadav's Test return might have come as a bolt out of the blue for some, but the left-arm wrist spinner had been working on his craft behind the scenes for a long time.

The last four Test matches that Kuldeep Yadav has played for India have come in October 2018, January 2019, February 2021 and December 2022 respectively.

When you play matches after such a long time in the red-ball format alongside warming the benches in white-ball cricket and have to deal with a couple of big injuries in between, it is commendable for a player to come back all guns blazing and win the Player of the Match award upon return.

Kuldeep Yadav, who initially played as India's fifth bowler in the first Test against Bangladesh and the third spinner after Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel, ultimately delivered figures of 5 for 40 in the first innings and 3 for 73 in the second innings to finish as India's best bowler in the match.

Going forward, Kuldeep Yadav's form will be crucial for the team not only in red-ball cricket but in 50 overs as well, with the World Cup not too far away.

India have been lacking a wicket-taker, especially in the middle overs in white-ball cricket and his inclusion will provide a different variety to the team which the Men in Blue are in desperate need of at the moment.

It will be interesting to see if all of Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav are available for the upcoming Test series against Australia, who do India go for?

Humbled and delighted to have contributed to the team's win. Chattogram ?? onto Dhaka next.#TeamIndia ???? pic.twitter.com/w8HschA5Ql
— Kuldeep yadav (@imkuldeep18) December 18, 2022