"His strength is different from Ravindra Jadeja" - Cheteshwar Pujara lauds Kuldeep Yadav's spell in IND vs SA 2025 1st Test

Former India player Cheteshwar Pujara has lauded Kuldeep Yadav for delivering a crucial spell on Day 1 of the first Test against South Africa. He noted that the left-arm wrist-spinner stuck to his strength, which is different from Ravindra Jadeja's.

Kuldeep registered figures of 2/36 in 14 overs as India bowled South Africa out for 159 in their first innings in Kolkata on Friday, November 14. The hosts ended the day at 37/1 in their first innings, trailing the visitors by 122 runs.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Pujara was asked what he found special in Kuldeep's bowling in South Africa's first innings.

"His pace. He is bowling slow and flighting the ball. He is not getting scared even if runs are being scored against him. If the opposition batted aggressively against him, he used to go slightly on the back foot. However, if you see his bowling in the last two years, whether with the white ball or the red ball, that confidence is being seen. Even if runs are scored, he bowls the next ball for a wicket," the former India batter responded. "He doesn't bowl to escape. That's been a major shift in his mindset. That comes with confidence. He has grown in confidence a lot in the last one or two years. He has understood his bowling very well. His strength is different from Ravindra Jadeja. Kuldeep Yadav is a wrist-spinner. So he bowls the ball slow and gives more flight. In between, he is varying his pace, and that is proving to be his strength, especially in Test cricket," he added.

Kuldeep Yadav had Temba Bavuma (three runs off 11 balls) caught by Dhruv Jurel at leg slip before Lunch. He then trapped Wiaan Mulder (24 off 51) lbw in the second session to help India reduce South Africa to 114/4 after Jasprit Bumrah (5/27 in 14 overs) had dismissed the two openers.

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"You are desperate when you are the third spinner" - Aakash Chopra on the reason behind Kuldeep Yadav's confidence

Kuldeep Yadav (left) didn't play a single Test in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. [P/C: Getty]

Speaking on Star Sports, former India opener Aakash Chopra noted that Kuldeep Yadav would have been desperate to pick up wickets earlier as he was the third spinner.

"Pujara talked about confidence, and you also get confidence from whether you are the first or third spinner. He was the third spinner for a very long time. You are desperate when you are the third spinner, that whenever you get to bowl, you will be the third, and you will get fewer overs, and if you don't pick up wickets after that, you will be dropped for the next match," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Kuldeep is more confident now as he is the preferred spinner in home conditions, if the pitches aren't rank turners.

"However, now when you are seeing Kuldeep, although he didn't play at all in England, when he is playing, he is realizing that the captain throws the ball to him first because he is the best spinner in this team if there is no help from the pitch. He is trying to beat batters in the air, and that's commendable," Chopra observed.

Axar Patel (1/21 in six overs) was the first spinner introduced into the attack on Day 1 of the Kolkata Test. However, Kuldeep Yadav was given the ball ahead of Ravindra Jadeja (0/13 in eight overs) and Washington Sundar (0/3 in one over), and bowled the most overs among all the spinners.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer