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Kuldeep Yadav remains key to solving India's ODI World Cup 2027 Rubik's Cube

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Kuldeep Yadav celebrates with Shubman Gill

Kuldeep Yadav celebrates with Shubman Gill (Source: BCCI)

Mr Cricket UAE Staff

Mr Cricket UAE Staff

Published - 27 Sep 2026, 05:38 PM Read time - 3 mins

Kuldeep Yadav remains indispensable to India's chances of winning the 2027 ODI World Cup in southern Africa, and the first ODI against the West Indies showcased exactly why. Kuldeep was India's standout bowler on a day when every other member of the attack struggled not only to make breakthroughs but also to stem the flow of runs.

After winning the toss, Shubman Gill opted to field first, anticipating that the ball would come onto the bat better under lights. India knew they needed to be disciplined on a flat surface at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. However, the hosts' new-ball bowlers, Prasidh Krishna and Nitish Kumar Reddy, were caught off guard by the aggressive approach of West Indies openers Justin Greaves and John Campbell. 

Nitish, in particular, missed his lengths regularly, allowing Greaves to pepper the boundary rope with ease.

The unexpected assault from Greaves and Campbell forced Gill to rotate his bowlers frequently, but without success. The visitors raced to the 100-run mark in just 13.3 overs, and it hardly looked like a contest between the world's No. 1-ranked ODI side and a team that failed to secure automatic qualification for the World Cup.

After trying five different bowlers without reward, Gill finally turned to his left-arm wrist-spinner immediately after the 15-over mark, and Kuldeep made an instant impact. He induced a false shot from Campbell, who attempted an ambitious sweep but only managed a top edge to short fine leg, where Prasidh completed a clean catch.

Campbell was the first of Kuldeep's four wickets as the 31-year-old relied on his accuracy, control, and variations on a pitch that offered very little assistance.

Kuldeep's biggest scalp of the evening was centurion Greaves. Attempting a sweep, the West Indies opener failed to connect as the ball sneaked under his bat, struck him on the back foot, and trapped him lbw.
India eventually restricted the visitors to 295, a total that had looked improbable earlier in the innings as West Indies appeared on course for well over 350 before Kuldeep's intervention.

On a wicket where every other Indian bowler conceded more than five runs an over, Kuldeep returned remarkable figures of 10-1-40-4, maintaining an economy rate of just four.

India's lack of trust in Kuldeep Yadav

This is the same Kuldeep who is not guaranteed a place in India's playing XI across formats. After losing his spot in the T20I setup, he spent time refining his craft in the County Championship with Yorkshire while India completed a 3-0 whitewash of Afghanistan.

India's faith in Kuldeep also appeared questionable during the ODI series against England. Despite the absence of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the decider at Lord's on July 19, Kuldeep was left out. India produced a toothless bowling performance, claiming only three wickets as England piled up 387 and secured a 27-run victory to clinch the series 2-1.

Kuldeep's importance becomes even more pronounced when viewed through the lens of the 2027 World Cup. South Africa, one of the tournament's co-hosts, has been a particularly happy hunting ground for the left-arm wrist-spinner. In eight ODIs in the country, he has taken 18 wickets at an average of 15.94 and an economy rate of 4.66.

With World Cup preparations entering their final phase, India's team management must ensure they do not underutilise their premier spinner. Failing to place trust in Kuldeep could jeopardise India's quest to end their long wait for a 50-over World Cup title.