Asia Cup 2023: He is the best spinner at the moment - Former India opener lauds Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav is in top form in 2023. The 28-year-old has already scalped 31 wickets in ODIs this year and is set to play a key role for India in the Asia Cup 2023 final, on Sunday (September 17) in Colombo, and the upcoming ODI World Cup at home, which kicks off early next month. In the ongoing Super Four stage of the Asia Cup, Kuldeep has nine wickets from two games (5 for 25 versus Pakistan and 4 for 43 against Sri Lanka). Thus, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra made a big claim on Kuldeep.

'Kuldeep is the best spinner in the world at the moment'

Chopra said on his YouTube channel, "I feel Kuldeep is the best spinner in the world at the moment. If you see Kuldeep Yadav's numbers, you say he is a proper wicket-taker. We are talking about spinners who have taken 150 ODI wickets. Firstly, 150 wickets is a very good number, it is not a small sample size."

Chopra further added, "He has taken only 85 innings to pick up 150 wickets. He has a strike rate of 30.1. He is special because he is orthodox. If you talk about Ajantha Mendis and Rashid Khan, they had or have mystery. This guy has no mystery. He bowls normal leg-spin and googly and traps you with that itself."

Talking about Kuldeep's spell versus Sri Lanka, in the Super Four clash on Tuesday (September 12), the wily spinner accounted for four key scalps to dent the Lankans' 213-run chase at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. He also entered the 150-wicket club in just 85 ODI innings.

Fastest to 150 ODI wickets among spinners (by matches)
78 - Saqlain Mushtaq
80 - Rashid Khan
84 - Ajantha Mendis
88 - Kuldeep Yadav
89 - Imran Tahir

Fastest to 150 ODI wickets - by matches taken (India)
80 - Mohammed Shami
88 - Kuldeep Yadav
97 - Ajit Agarkar
103 - Zaheer Khan
106 - Anil Kumble
106 - Irfan Pathan

Kuldeep will be India's go-to bowler in the Asia Cup final. Before the summit clash, India will take on Bangladesh on Friday (September 15), at the same venue in Colombo, in their last Super Four encounter.

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