IND vs SA: Kuldeep Yadav surprised everyone at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati with a batting performance no one saw coming, but India desperately needed in the second and final Test against South Africa.
On a day when several Indian batters struggled to handle the South African attack, it was Kuldeep who stood firm and gave the team some much-needed fight.
Grit and Patience Shine in Kuldeep’s Best Test Knock
Even though the final Test seems to be slipping away from India, Kuldeep’s determination has become one of the biggest highlights of the match in Guwahati. He walked in when the innings were collapsing and, along with Washington Sundar, helped India avoid an even bigger disaster.
Kuldeep Yadav and Sundar put together a fighting 72-run partnership for the eighth wicket. It took them a hard-fought 208 balls, with Kuldeep Yadav playing the anchor’s role like an experienced Test batter. He batted for 134 balls, scored 19 runs, and struck three boundaries while wickets kept falling around him.
It was a stubborn, patient effort that forced South Africa’s bowlers to earn every wicket. This knock was also Kuldeep’s longest-ever stay at the crease in Test cricket, going past his previous 28 off 131 balls against England in Ranchi in 2024.
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IND vs SA: Kuldeep Yadav Surpasses Kohli and Rohit in a Surprising Stat
India eventually folded for 201 in reply to South Africa’s huge 489-run total, but Kuldeep’s resistance was one of the few bright spots on Day 3.
What grabbed even more attention was a surprising statistic that quickly went viral among fans. Since the Bangladesh tour in 2022, Kuldeep Yadav has been facing more balls per dismissal than some of India’s biggest Test names.
Kuldeep Yadav now averages 64 balls per dismissal, which is higher than Virat Kohli at 62, Rishabh Pant at 56, Shreyas Iyer at 52, Rohit Sharma at 50, and Nitish Kumar Reddy at 49.
IND vs SA: Kuldeep Yadav Joins Rahul in Rare 100-Ball Feat
Kuldeep’s fighting knock stands out for another unusual reason. In this two-match series, only two Indian batters have batted for more than 100 balls in an innings. One was KL Rahul, who made 39 off 119 balls in the first Test at Eden Gardens. The other is Kuldeep Yadav.
The fact that a lower-order batter has shown more patience and survival skills than several top-order players says a lot about Kuldeep’s discipline and also highlights India’s growing struggles in longer formats, even at home.
Kuldeep’s stay finally ended when Marco Jansen bowled a sharp rising delivery outside off stump. Kuldeep tried to defend with an open face, but the ball caught the edge and flew to second slip, where Aiden Markram grabbed a tough catch to break the crucial stand.
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