On Day 3 of the Second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, a phenomenal performance by Kuldeep Yadav saw him tear through the West Indies batting order, securing a five-wicket haul and firmly placing India in a dominant position. The left-arm wrist spinner delivered an impressive 5 for 82, marking his fifth such achievement in Test cricket, as the West Indies were dismissed for 248 runs in 81.5 overs. With a substantial lead of 270 runs, India promptly enforced the follow-on, presenting the visitors with an immense challenge to extend the match beyond the fourth day.
Kuldeep Yadav picked up his fifth career fifer on Sunday against the West Indies (Images via PTI)
What made Kuldeep’s bowling so exceptional was not just his mastery of control but also his uncanny ability to outwit the batsmen. On a pitch that offered minimal turn, he utilized clever drift to dismantle the West Indies’ top order. In a crucial morning session, he swiftly removed Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, and Justin Greaves, effectively breaking the back of their innings. Hope fell victim to a delivery that beautifully drifted before spinning sharply to clip his off-stump, bypassing his forward defence. Imlach met a similar fate, trapped leg-before-wicket by another exquisitely turning ball. Greaves’ ill-advised attempt at a reverse sweep against a well-disguised leg-break also resulted in an LBW, allowing Kuldeep to further solidify India’s commanding position.
Despite a resilient 46-run ninth-wicket partnership between Khary Pierre and Anderson Phillip, Jasprit Bumrah eventually found the breakthrough after lunch, cleaning up Pierre with a pinpoint delivery. The last-wicket pair of Phillip and Jayden Seales managed to frustrate the Indian attack for a short period, adding 27 runs. However, Kuldeep Yadav returned to seal the innings, deceiving Seales with a brilliant, disguised googly that resulted in another LBW dismissal.
This impressive five-wicket haul puts Kuldeep Yadav on par with England’s legendary Johnny Wardle for the most five-wicket hauls by a left-arm wrist spinner in Test cricket history, with both now having five to their name. South Africa’s Paul Adams ranks just behind them with four. What makes Kuldeep’s achievement particularly remarkable is that he reached this milestone in just 15 Test matches, significantly faster than Wardle, who required 13 more games to achieve the same feat.
India’s comprehensive dominance, showcased by both their batting prowess and bowling brilliance, has put them firmly in control of this crucial contest. Earlier in the match, the hosts declared their first innings at a formidable 518 for 5, built on exceptional centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 175, and Shubman Gill, who remained unbeaten with 129.