Kuldeep Yadav ended his IPL 2026 season on a high note after delivering a brilliant performance for Delhi Capitals against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. The left-arm spinner picked up 3 wickets for 29 runs and played a key role in Delhi’s 40-run victory in their final league game of the season.
Kuldeep dismissed important batters including Ajinkya Rahane, Cameron Green and Rinku Singh during his impressive spell, earning the Player of the Match award.
Despite finishing strongly, Kuldeep Yadav admitted that he was not satisfied with his overall IPL 2026 campaign. The spinner said he had expected much more from himself this season but struggled to maintain consistency due to technical issues in his bowling action.
After Delhi Capitals’ previous match, Kuldeep Yadav returned home and worked closely with his childhood coach to correct small mistakes that had slowly crept into his bowling. According to the spinner, he had started bowling too “open-chested” which reduced the use of his body and affected the amount of spin, drift and dip he could generate.
Kuldeep Yadav explained that once he corrected his body position and focused on spinning the ball harder, he immediately began to see better results. He said using more of his body helped him vary his pace more effectively, especially on the slow surface at Eden Gardens.
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The Delhi Capitals spinner pointed to the wicket of Rinku Singh as a perfect example of his improved approach. Kuldeep slowed the delivery through the air, forcing the batter into a mistimed shot that resulted in his dismissal.
Kuldeep Yadav also shared that his coach advised him to trust his natural strengths instead of becoming too defensive in T20 cricket. The focus, according to his coach, was on deceiving batters and attacking with spin rather than simply trying to contain runs.
The 31-year-old nearly completed a hat-trick during the match, but wicketkeeper Abishek Porel dropped a catch. Even so, Kuldeep Yadav said he was pleased with his comeback performance after a frustrating run earlier in the tournament.
Well, let’s hope he performs well from the beginning in the next IPL!
