Rhythm, Control and a Kuldeep Yadav Masterclass How the Spinner Changed the Game
Thiruvananthapuram. India’s decision to bowl first in the opening ODI against the West Indies initially appeared difficult to justify in the intense heat of Thiruvananthapuram. The Indian bowlers struggled to contain the opening pair, while Justin Greaves and John Campbell took advantage of the conditions and kept the scoreboard moving.
Nitish Kumar Reddy conceded 17 runs in the opening over, while Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna generated bounce without immediately putting the West Indies under sustained pressure. Greaves, playing his first ODI in India, was particularly effective against the pace attack, using his back-foot game to good effect.
Greaves and Campbell struck 13 boundaries during the first 10 overs and built a substantial opening partnership. By the first drinks break, they had put together West Indies’ first 100-plus opening stand in India in 24 years.
Crucial breakthroughs served with a touch of magic ✨
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 27, 2026
🎥 Watch how Kuldeep Yadav shifted the momentum for #TeamIndia 💙
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Kuldeep’s introduction changed the rhythm
With several of India’s regular ODI players unavailable, the responsibility on the second-string bowling attack was greater than usual. Ravindra Jadeja and debutant Naman Dhir were unable to make an immediate breakthrough, while Reddy did not return to the attack until the 28th over.
Captain Shubman Gill turned to Kuldeep Yadav in the 16th over, looking for the breakthrough India desperately needed.
By then, the West Indies’ boundary flow had already slowed somewhat. Between the 10th and 15th overs, they managed only one four. Kuldeep initially bowled fuller deliveries, but Campbell responded by hitting him over deep midwicket for six.
That forced Kuldeep to adjust.
He began varying his pace and length rather than allowing Campbell to settle into a predictable pattern. The spinner deliberately avoided giving Campbell the ideal length for his sweep. When the batter eventually committed to the shot, Kuldeep produced a wrong'un that Campbell failed to read properly.
The resulting top edge finally gave India the breakthrough.
Control became Kuldeep’s biggest weapon
The wicket did more than end Campbell’s innings. It changed the tempo of the West Indies’ batting.
Keacy Carty found it difficult to match the scoring rate established earlier, while Greaves was no longer able to collect quick singles with the same ease. Kuldeep’s control reduced the number of scoring opportunities and forced the batters to take greater risks.
Between overs 20 and 30, West Indies managed only 40 runs as India gradually tightened its grip.
That control has been one of Kuldeep’s most valuable qualities as an attacking wrist-spinner. His ability to create pressure without constantly relying on boundary-taking deliveries gives the Indian bowling attack a different dimension.
A crucial spell for Kuldeep’s confidence
The performance was significant for Kuldeep personally as well. The Thiruvananthapuram ODI was only his second white-ball appearance for India in seven months.
He had also missed India’s ODI series in England, with all-rounders Axar Patel and Washington Sundar preferred in the spin department.
After the match, Kuldeep acknowledged that performances such as this can help restore confidence when a player has repeatedly moved in and out of the playing XI.
He explained that enjoying his bowling and remaining relaxed allows him to perform at his best. For him, producing a spell like the one in Thiruvananthapuram was an important step towards regaining that confidence.
Second spell produced the decisive blow
Kuldeep briefly left the field before returning to the attack. Gill was keen to bring him back immediately, but the umpires required him to complete the mandatory cooling-off period.
Once back, Kuldeep operated with even tighter lines. With limited protection in the deep on the off side, he still managed to deny the batters easy scoring options.
Shai Hope was unable to find a way out of the pressure. He eventually advanced down the pitch and was dismissed by Kuldeep.
Greaves then fell to another wrong'un while attempting to sweep.
The very next delivery produced another wicket. Teenage batter Jewel Andrew, facing his first ball in India, was beaten by a delivery that turned and bounced sharply from the surface. The outside edge completed a double-wicket maiden that dramatically altered the West Indies’ innings.
Kuldeep found the rhythm he was looking for
Kuldeep later described himself as calm throughout the spell. His approach was based on maintaining rhythm, changing pace, using variations and trying to anticipate where the batters wanted to score.
He finished with 4 wickets for 40 runs, emerging as India’s most influential bowler on a surface where the finger spinners did not generate the same impact.
Ravindra Jadeja and Naman Dhir went wicketless, while Kuldeep’s wrist-spin proved capable of creating opportunities even without substantial assistance from the pitch.
West Indies felt they should have attacked him more
West Indies batter Amir Jangoo admitted after the match that his team could have handled Kuldeep differently.
According to Jangoo, the visitors needed to put greater pressure on the spinner instead of allowing him to settle into his spell. Given the strong start West Indies had made, attacking Kuldeep earlier could have prevented him from building the control that eventually changed the innings.
The assessment highlighted just how important Kuldeep’s ability to establish a rhythm had been.
What lies ahead for Kuldeep?
Despite the quality of his performance, Kuldeep’s place in India’s XI for the upcoming assignments is not guaranteed. Team combinations and playing conditions will determine how frequently he features, particularly with further ODI cricket ahead.
The upcoming World Cup will also remain part of the larger picture. Some South African venues, including Paarl and Gqeberha, could offer conditions where wrist-spin becomes particularly valuable.
For Kuldeep, however, the immediate priority appears simpler: maintain his rhythm and continue improving.
He said he still sees areas where he can get better and intends to stick with the rhythm that worked for him in Thiruvananthapuram.
For a bowler who has spent much of the recent period moving between the playing XI and the sidelines, the 4/40 spell offered a timely reminder of what Kuldeep can bring when his rhythm, control, variations and reading of batters all come together.