IND vs WI 2025: "He's my guru from the England tour" - Kuldeep Yadav's huge claim on teammate amid Delhi Test

Published - 10 Oct 2025, 17:23 IST | Updated - 10 Oct 2025, 17:44 IST

Kuldeep Yadav has been one of India's star performers of late. Fans and experts urged the Indian team management to give him opportunities during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy earlier this year. However, Kuldeep had to spend the entire five-match tour of England on the sidelines. The left-arm spinner, however, showcased his class during India's triumphant Asia Cup campaign last month, finishing as the highest wicket-taker in the tournament by a distance. In seven matches, he accounted for 17 scalps at an average of 9.29.

Moments before the second Test between India and the West Indies at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Kuldeep referred to fellow left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja as his "Guru". Both of them wreaked havoc in the first Test in Ahmedabad, combining for eight wickets across two innings. Jadeja also slammed an unbeaten 104 off 176 deliveries, going on to win the Player of the Match award.

"It's very important to hit the lengths perfectly and be very accurate. As you can see Jadeja is here and he is my guru from the England tour. I've been very consistent throughout the Asia Cup and here as well, just hitting the right lengths. When you keep hitting the right length, you feel like you are bowling well. We hardly talk about anything (with Jadeja) cricket-related but yeah, it's good to have him around," Kuldeep told JioHotstar.

The Uttar Pradesh spinner said that bowling plans are totally different in Tests when compared to T20Is. In the red-ball format, he tries to pitch the ball up and make the batter drive. On the other hand, in the shortest format, he bowls flatter instead of giving the ball too much air.

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"Playing red-ball is totally different from the T20 format. I personally feel I bowled enough in England, though I did not get a game. Practice wise, I was right up there. Playing the T20 format, you have to change the trajectory of the ball and you can't go too lollypop there. But here (Test), you have to pitch the ball up and make the batter drive the ball," said Kuldeep Yadav (via the aforementioned source).