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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t happy before this match because we wanted the whole team to have a great season, but we couldn\u2019t finish in that top four spot,\u201d Kuldeep said. \u201cPersonally, I felt I didn\u2019t have a great tournament, to be honest. I was expecting more from myself, but I couldn\u2019t deliver this season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Heading into the clash against KKR, Kuldeep\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
His workload on the field had also drawn attention earlier in the season. After Delhi\u2019s previous defeat against Chennai Super Kings two weeks prior, Axar Patel publicly remarked that he had missed Kuldeep\u2019s bowling partnership during the match.<\/p>\n
Speaking about how he tried to get himself back on track, Kuldeep explained that he returned to his hometown after DC\u2019s earlier game. There, he worked with his coach on regaining his rhythm and even played a practice match.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter 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,\u201d Kuldeep said. \u201cIt\u2019s 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\u2014it was lovely to see.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I spoke to my coach, he was straightforward with me. He said, \u2018You need to spin the ball and try to deceive the batter. I know the batter is going strong against you, but if you\u2019re spinning the ball, you\u2019ve got a chance to get them out.\u2019 Also, in the last couple of games, I wasn\u2019t using my full body,\u201d Kuldeep said. \u201cI thought I was bowling well in patches, but something like that\u2014especially in your run-up or rhythm\u2014ultimately affects your game.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In Delhi\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was very clear with my plan. I saw the wicket\u2014first thing\u2014and it was a bit slow. I was trying to vary the pace and mix it up with a scrambled seam, and deceive the batter,\u201d Kuldeep said. \u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt happens in the game, but I\u2019m very happy with the performance,\u201d Kuldeep said. \u201cIt\u2019s part of the match whether you get a hat-trick or not. But I\u2019m pleased with how I bowled now.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":12058,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Kuldeep Yadav IPL 2026: DC vs KKR Win & Season Wrap","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Kuldeep Yadav opens up on IPL 2026 ups and downs, then celebrates a match-winning spell as Delhi Capitals beat KKR to end on a high.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n