Kuldeep Yadav admitted he was not satisfied with his overall IPL 2026 showing, yet he felt relieved to wrap up the campaign on a positive note. The Delhi Capitals spinner produced a match-winning spell of 3 for 29 to help DC close out their season with a 40-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders.
Season reflection and the motivation to finish strong
Receiving the player-of-the-match award after the KKR win, Kuldeep said the result did not erase the disappointment of a broader team goal. Delhi had aimed to mount a serious challenge for a top-four finish, but fell short.
“I wasn’t happy before this match because we wanted the whole team to have a great season, but we couldn’t finish in that top four spot,” Kuldeep said. “Personally, I felt I didn’t have a great tournament, to be honest. I was expecting more from myself, but I couldn’t deliver this season.”
What changed before the KKR game
Heading into the clash against KKR, Kuldeep’s numbers had been modest by his own standards. In ten innings, he had claimed seven wickets, averaging 50.28 while conceding at an economy rate of 10.66.
His workload on the field had also drawn attention earlier in the season. After Delhi’s previous defeat against Chennai Super Kings two weeks prior, Axar Patel publicly remarked that he had missed Kuldeep’s bowling partnership during the match.
Speaking about how he tried to get himself back on track, Kuldeep explained that he returned to his hometown after DC’s earlier game. There, he worked with his coach on regaining his rhythm and even played a practice match.
“After the last game, I went back home and worked with my coach on the things I need to improve. I also played one game there,” Kuldeep said. “It’s the small details that you forget very quickly in white-ball cricket. Going there and working on those points, and then coming back here to bowl like that—it was lovely to see.”
Coach’s message: spin, deception, and full-body action
Kuldeep added that his coach was direct about what needed to change. The focus was on spinning the ball more consistently, using deception, and ensuring he was fully engaged through his action rather than relying on partial movement.
“When I spoke to my coach, he was straightforward with me. He said, ‘You need to spin the ball and try to deceive the batter. I know the batter is going strong against you, but if you’re spinning the ball, you’ve got a chance to get them out.’ Also, in the last couple of games, I wasn’t using my full body,” Kuldeep said. “I thought I was bowling well in patches, but something like that—especially in your run-up or rhythm—ultimately affects your game.”
How he identified the gaps during IPL 2026
Looking deeper into the reasons behind his inconsistent tournament, Kuldeep pinpointed a tendency to bowl with a more open chest at times and to underuse his body mechanics. He described how those habits can give T20 batters opportunities to hit through the line and clear the boundary with ease.
- Kuldeep felt he was sometimes bowling with an open chest rather than fully using his body.
- He admitted he was “pushing” the ball, which played into the strengths of T20 hitters who can drive deep down the ground and attack off the back foot.
- He believed that when he used more of his body, spun the ball harder, and focused on execution, he could produce the dip and drift needed to trouble batters.
- He also said that improved spin and action helped him vary pace more effectively.
- He called the KKR match “lovely” because it came after the previous game and showed the adjustments working.
The spell versus KKR: early breakthroughs and a near hat-trick
In Delhi’s innings of bowling, Kuldeep struck quickly. He took his first wicket on his fourth delivery, with Cameron Green mistiming the ball to long-off. He then followed up with rapid damage, taking two more wickets in as many balls.
- On his fourth ball, Kuldeep dismissed Cameron Green, who mistimed the shot towards long-off.
- Two balls later, he removed Ajinkya Rahane, who sliced a tossed-up delivery down the ground.
- He then accounted for Rinku, who was dismissed for a first-ball duck, with Tristan Stubbs unable to prevent the breakthrough as the catch was taken.
Kuldeep said his bowling plan was clear from the start. He noted that the pitch offered a bit of slowness, and he worked to mix pace while using a scrambled seam to keep the batter guessing.
“I was very clear with my plan. I saw the wicket—first thing—and it was a bit slow. I was trying to vary the pace and mix it up with a scrambled seam, and deceive the batter,” Kuldeep said. “The wicket of Rinku was a perfect example. I tried to slow it down through the air, and he played it straight away. So it was a good ball to get him out.”
Opportunity for an IPL hat-trick and a missed chance
Kuldeep also reflected on another moment in the match where a hat-trick could have arrived. On a ground where he previously had an ODI hat-trick against Australia, he went around the wicket and got Tejasvi Dahiya to feather a delivery through to the wicketkeeper. However, Abhishek Porel dropped a straightforward catch, denying him the hat-trick.
“It happens in the game, but I’m very happy with the performance,” Kuldeep said. “It’s part of the match whether you get a hat-trick or not. But I’m pleased with how I bowled now.”
