Kuldeep Yadav has long been a thorn in the side of international batters, but when it comes to South Africa in ODIs, the left-arm wrist-spinner seems to have found a special rhythm. In just 16 matches against the Proteas, Kuldeep has claimed 36 wickets at an astonishing average of 17.58. His strike rate of 21.3 and an economy of 4.95 further underline how dangerous he has been in this matchup.
What makes his record even more remarkable is his knack for producing match-turning spells. Kuldeep now boasts five 4-wicket hauls against South Africa, the most by any Indian bowler against a single opposition in ODIs. He has surpassed the previous joint records held by Zaheer Khan, who had four 4-wicket hauls against Zimbabwe, and Mohammed Shami, who had four against the West Indies.
From flighted deliveries to subtle variations, Kuldeep has consistently troubled South African batters, making him India’s go-to match-winner with the ball in hand. His ability to strike in the middle overs, choking partnerships and breaking momentum has been a recurring theme in India’s ODI encounters with the Proteas.
If trends continue, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kuldeep extend this record even further, cementing his place as one of India’s most lethal bowlers against South Africa in the limited-overs format.
