Watch: Kuldeep Yadav Chooses His Best Birthday Gift And It's Not Five-Wicket Haul vs South Africa In 3rd T20I

Kuldeep Yadav put up a spectacular performance against South Africa during the third T20I at Johannesburg. The left-arm chinaman became the first male cricketer to pick up a fifer in T20Is on his birthday. He also became the first Indian spinner and the second Indian men’s cricketer after Bhuvneshwar Kumar to register two five-wicket hauls in the T20 format of the game. However, Kuldeep reckons that Suryakumar Yadav gave him the best present on his 29th birthday.

Kuldeep Yadav said that skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s record-equalling fourth T20I hundred was the biggest gift he received on his birthday. Suryakumar Yadav smashed his 100 off just 56 balls to join Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell in the elite list of most centuries in T20Is. Surya’s innings laid the platform for India’s giant total of 201 for 7 in the third T20I. The Proteas failed to chase down the mammoth target after being dismissed for a meager 95 in 13.5 overs.

“I think it was Surya bhai’s batting. That was the biggest gift,” Kuldeep said when asked to choose the best gift (wickets) among his five. “He batted brilliantly. The way he was batting was great to watch because the pitch was not that easy for batting. It was really a treat to watch him bat,” Kuldeep said.

“It turned out to be a special day. I have never thought about taking five wickets. I just wanted the team to win which is more important,” Kuldeep said in the post-match press conference after registering figures of 5/17 from just 2.5 overs as India beat South Africa by a big margin of 106 runs. “I was concerned about my bowling because I was playing after some time, so wanted to get my rhythm. It was perfect today. The ball was coming out well from the hand and the conditions too suited the spinners a bit.”

A Surya Special ?
A five-wicket haul ?️
A #TeamIndia win ?

Birthday gifts galore for @imkuldeep18 ?#INDvSA pic.twitter.com/Nt84M5OEc6

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 15, 2023

Kuldeep Yadav Was Surprised With The Spin Wanderers Was Offering

Kuldeep Yadav was surprised with the spin offered by the pitch at Wanderers as South African pitches are generally known for offering pace and bounce and a hint of seam movement. He was surprised by the conditions favoring spinners.

“To be very honest, the wickets are very good for the spinners. The good thing about these wickets are that the ball comes very quickly after pitching. So sometimes, you have to vary your variations and if you get it right then it is very difficult to pick,” he added.

Kuldeep Yadav last played in South Africa in 2018, when he was fairly new to the Indian side. A knee injury in 2021 halted his career for 6-7 months after which he underwent surgery. However, he successfully returned to the field with a new technique.

“In 2018, I was very new and after that, a couple of years I struggled with my injury and post-surgery I came back and made a few changes in my bowling, especially in my run-up. Trying to be more aggressive and just trying to bowl much straighter and focussing on length,” Kuldeep said.

Kuldeep Yadav has been a regular member of the Indian team since the start of 2023. He was really good with the ball in Asia Cup 2023 and was also the main spinner for India in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. His return to international cricket has been inspirational.