Kuldeep Yadav is one of the most talented and exciting cricketers in the world today. He is a left-arm wrist spin bowler who can bamboozle the best batsmen with his variations and turns. He is also a handy lower-order batsman who can score some quick runs when needed. He plays for India and Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket and for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Yadav is the first Indian bowler to take two hat-tricks in international cricket, and the fastest Indian spinner to reach 100 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs). He has also won several awards and accolades for his outstanding performances, both at the national and international levels. In this article, we will take a look at Kuldeep Yadav’s Biography, from his birth and childhood to his education and cricket career, and his achievements and records.
Kuldeep Yadav Biography: Biodata
| Full Name | Kuldeep Yadav |
| Birth | 14 December 1994 |
| Age | 29 years( as per 2024) |
| Nickname | KD |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Parents | Ram Singh (Father)
Usha Yadav (Mother) |
| Education | Karam Devi Memorial Academy World School, Kanpur
DAV PG College, Kanpur |
| Education Qualification | Graduation |
| Height | 5ft 6inch (168cm) |
| Profession | Cricketer |
| Batting style | Left-handed batter |
| Bowling style | Left-arm chinaman |
| Jersey Number | Test:23 ODI:23 T20I:23 IPL: 23 |
| Spouse | Unmarried |
| Sibling | Anushka Singh Yadav
Madhu Yadav Anita Yadav |
| Net Worth | Rs. 32 crore ($4 Million) (as of 2024) |
| @kuldeep_18 | |
| @CircleofCricket.KuldeepYadav | |
| @ imkuldeep18 |
Kuldeep Yadav Biography: Birth and Childhood
Kuldeep Yadav was born on 14 December 1994 in Unnao, a district in Uttar Pradesh. His father, Ram Singh Yadav, owned a brick kiln, and his mother, Usha Yadav, was a homemaker. He has three sisters, Anushka, Madhu, and Anita. Kuldeep grew up in Kanpur, where he attended Karam Devi Memorial Academy World School.
He developed an interest in cricket at a very young age, and his father supported him in pursuing his dream. He joined the cricket academy of Kapil Pandey, a former Ranji Trophy player and coach, who spotted his talent and guided him to become a wrist spinner.
Kuldeep Yadav Biography: Education
Kuldeep completed his schooling at Karam Devi Memorial Academy World School in Kanpur. He then enrolled in DAV PG College in Kanpur, graduating with a bachelor’s degree. He balanced his studies and cricket well, and never compromised on either.
He said in an interview, “I always wanted to study and play cricket. I never thought of leaving my studies for cricket. I used to manage both. I used to go to college in the morning and then practice in the evening.”
Kuldeep Yadav Biography: Cricket Career
Domestic Career
Kuldeep started playing cricket at the age of nine and soon made a name for himself in the local tournaments. He represented Uttar Pradesh at various age-group levels and impressed everyone with his skills and temperament. Yadav made his first-class debut for Uttar Pradesh in the 2012-13 Ranji Trophy, against Baroda, at the age of 17. He took six wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings. He also scored 50 runs in the first innings, showing his batting prowess.
Kuldeep became a regular member of the Uttar Pradesh team and helped them reach the final of the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy, where they lost to Mumbai. He has taken 134 wickets in 35 first-class matches, with a best of 6/79.
Kuldeep also made his mark in the limited-overs formats, playing for Uttar Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Yadav has taken 187 wickets in 112 List A matches, with a best of 6/25. He has also taken 53 wickets in 45 T20 matches, with a best of 5/13.
Kuldeep Yadav Biography: IPL
Kuldeep was picked by the Mumbai Indians in the 2012 IPL auction but did not get a chance to play for them. He was then bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2014 IPL auction and made his debut in the same season.
Yadav became a key member of the Kolkata Knight Riders bowling attack and played a vital role in their title-winning campaign in 2014. He also won the Emerging Player of the Year award in the 2018 IPL season, after taking 17 wickets in 16 matches.
Yadav was retained by the Kolkata Knight Riders till the 2021 IPL season and then transferred to the Delhi Capitals for the 2022 IPL season. He has taken 46 wickets in 49 IPL matches, with a best of 4/20.
Kuldeep is a reliable and effective bowler in the IPL and has the ability to bowl in any situation and phase of the game. He can provide breakthroughs in the powerplay, contain runs in the middle overs, and take wickets in the death overs. He has an economy rate of 7.41 and a strike rate of 17.4 in the IPL.
Kuldeep has been part of the IPL teams that have won several trophies and accolades, such as the IPL title in 2014, the Champions League T20 title in 2014, and the IPL Fair Play Award in 2018. He has also been part of the IPL teams that reached the playoffs in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2020.
Read Also: Mohammad Siraj Biography: Birth, Age, Family, Education, Cricket Career, Stats, Awards, and Honours
Kuldeep Yadav Biography: International Career
Under-19
Kuldeep represented India at the under-19 level and played in the 2014 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the UAE. He was the leading wicket-taker for India in the tournament, with 14 wickets in six matches, at an average of 15.35.
Yadav also became the first Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in the under-19 World Cup, against Scotland. He was also part of the India A team that toured Australia in 2016 and took a five-wicket haul against Australia A in a four-day match.
Test Career
Kuldeep made his Test debut for India in March 2017, against Australia at Dharamsala. He took four wickets in the first innings and became the third Indian bowler to take a four-wicket haul on Test debut.
Yadav also became the first left-arm wrist spinner to play for India in Tests. He impressed everyone with his variations and turns and helped India win the match and the series.
Kuldeep has played eight Test matches for India so far, and taken 34 wickets, with three five-wicket hauls. His best figures are 5/40 against Australia at Sydney in 2019, where he was the leading wicket-taker for India in the match.
Yadav has also taken five-wicket hauls against West Indies and Sri Lanka and has an average of 21.55 and a strike rate of 37.6 in Tests.
Kuldeep is a potent weapon for India in Test cricket, especially in overseas conditions where the pitches are more conducive to spin. He can trouble the best batsmen with his guile and accuracy and can change the course of the game with his wickets.
ODI Career
Kuldeep made his ODI debut for India in June 2017, against the West Indies at Port of Spain. He took three wickets in the match and became the first Indian spinner to take three wickets on ODI debut.
Yadav has played 101 ODIs for India till date, and taken 167 wickets, with two five-wicket hauls. He is the fastest Indian spinner to reach 100 wickets in ODIs, in 58 innings. Kuldeep also holds the record for the best bowling figures by an Indian spinner in ODIs, with 6/25 against England at Nottingham in 2018.
Kuldeep is also the first Indian bowler to take two hat-tricks in ODIs, against the West Indies at Kolkata in 2019, and against Australia at Rajkot in 2020.
Yadav is only the fourth bowler in the world to achieve this feat, after Wasim Akram, Saqlain Mushtaq, and Chaminda Vaas.
He has also taken four-wicket hauls against South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, and has an average of 26.01 and a strike rate of 30.8 in ODIs.
Kuldeep is a key member of India’s ODI team, and has formed a lethal spin partnership with Yuzvendra Chahal, known as “KulCha”.
Yadav has been instrumental in India’s success in ODI cricket and has helped them win several bilateral series and tournaments, such as the Asia Cup in 2018 and 2023, and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2023.
He has also been part of the Indian team that reached the final of the 2023 Cricket World Cup, where they lost to Australia.
Kuldeep Yadav Biography: T20I Career
Kuldeep made his T20I debut for India in July 2017, against the West Indies at Kingston. He took one wicket in the match and became the first Indian spinner to take a wicket on his T20I debut.
Kuldeep has played 26 T20Is for India so far, and taken 41 wickets, with one five-wicket haul. He is the first left-arm wrist spinner to take a five-wicket haul in T20Is, with 5/24 against England at Manchester in 2018.
Yadav is also the second Indian bowler and the first Indian spinner to take multiple five-wicket hauls in T20Is, with 5/24 against England at Manchester in 2018, and 5/20 against New Zealand at Hamilton in 2019.
Kuldeep is a valuable asset for India in T20I cricket, as he can bowl in any situation and phase of the game. He can provide breakthroughs in the powerplay, contain runs in the middle overs, and take wickets in the death overs. He has an average of 14.10 and a strike rate of 12.5 in T20Is.
Kuldeep has been part of India’s T20I team and has won several series and tournaments, such as the Nidahas Trophy in 2018, the Asia Cup in 2023, and the ICC World T20 in 2024. He has also been part of the Indian team that reached the semi-finals of the ICC World T20 in 2016 and 2020.
Kuldeep Yadav Biography: Stats
| Format | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Average | Economy | Strike Rate | Best Bowling |
| Test | 7 | 14 | 26 | 24.38 | 3.28 | 44.5 | 5/57 |
| ODI | 64 | 62 | 105 | 28.64 | 5.15 | 33.3 | 6/25 |
| T20I | 23 | 22 | 40 | 13.65 | 6.72 | 12.1 | 5/24 |
| IPL | 45 | 45 | 71 | 28.39 | 8.82 | 19.3 | 4/20 |
Read Also: Mohammed Shami Biography: Birth, Age, Family, Education, Cricket Career, Stats, Awards, Records, and Honours
Kuldeep Yadav Biography: Awards and Honours
Kuldeep has won several awards and honors for his brilliant performances in cricket:
- Emerging Player of the Year award in the 2018 IPL season·
- CEAT International Bowler of the Year award in 2018·
- ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year in 2018·
- Arjuna Award in 2019·
- ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year in 2019·
- ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year in 2019
Kuldeep Yadav Biography: Records and Achievements
Kuldeep has also set and broken many records and achieved many milestones in his cricket career.
1. First Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in the under-19 World Cup, against Scotland in 2014
2. First Indian bowler to take two hat-tricks in international cricket, in ODIs against the West Indies in 2019 and Australia in 2020
3. Fastest Indian spinner to reach 100 wickets in ODIs, in 58 innings
4. First left-arm wrist spinner to play for India in Tests
5. First left-arm wrist spinner to take a five-wicket haul in T20Is, with 5/24 against England in 2018
6. Second Indian bowler and first Indian spinner to take multiple five-wicket hauls in T20Is, with 5/24 against England in 2018 and 5/20 against New Zealand in 2019
7. Best bowling figures by an Indian spinner in ODIs, with 6/25 against England in 2018
8. Part of the Indian team that won the 2018 Asia Cup and the 2023 Asia Cup
9. Part of the Indian team that reached the final of the 2023 Cricket World Cup