Kuldeep Yadav becomes fastest Indian spinner to 150 wickets

Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been on a stellar run of form in white-ball cricket, and he continued to showcase his brilliance in the ongoing Asia Cup, emerging as a match-winner for his side on two consecutive days. His remarkable performance not only contributed to India’s back-to-back victories but also earned him a significant milestone in his cricketing career.

In the Asia Cup clash against arch-rivals Pakistan, Kuldeep Yadav’s magical spell yielded him a five-wicket haul. He displayed finesse and control, bamboozling the Pakistani batsmen and guiding India to a crucial win on the reserve day. However, he didn’t stop there. In the following match against Sri Lanka, Kuldeep once again proved his mettle by snaring four wickets, playing a pivotal role in defending India’s modest total of 213 runs.

This impressive haul of wickets not only secured victories for India but also marked a significant achievement for the spinner. Kuldeep Yadav reached the milestone of 150 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs) in just 88 matches, making him the fastest Indian spinner to achieve this feat. He surpassed the legendary Anil Kumble, who took 150 wickets in 106 matches. In the broader context of international spin bowling, Kuldeep ranks as the fourth-fastest spinner to reach this milestone, trailing only behind Saqlain Mushtaq (78 matches), Rashid Khan (80 matches), and Ajantha Mendis (84 matches).

Fastest to 150 ODI wickets (spinners)

78 – Saqlain Mushtaq

80 – Rashid Khan

84 – Ajantha Mendis

88 – Kuldeep Yadav

89 – Imran Tahir

Rohit Sharma’s high praise for Kuldeep Yadav

In the post-match interview, Team India captain Rohit Sharma was in high praise for the left-arm spinner, saying, “For the past year or so bowling really really well. He has done a lot of hard work on his rhythm. He went back to the drawing board and worked on it. The ball is coming out nicely and you can see the results in the last 10 ODIs.”