Team India spinner Kuldeep Yadav has reportedly informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that he would like to take leave for his wedding after the first Test against South Africa.
The left-arm wrist spinner would miss the second Test as well as the three-match ODI series against the Proteas.
Kuldeep is currently with the Test squad for the ongoing India-South Africa series. Before the series, he played in the second unofficial Test for India A against South Africa A at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, where he picked up just one wicket. He also played one ODI and two T20I matches against Australia.
Kuldeep Yadav Requests Leave From BCCI for Wedding After First Test vs South Africa
According to a report by the Times of India, Kuldeep Yadav has asked the BCCI for leave to get married and is currently awaiting approval. He is in the playing XI for the series opener.
The report added that the team management will review when they need him before confirming how many days of leave he will be granted.
“Kuldeep’s wedding is planned for the last week of Nov. The team management will assess when they will need his services before granting him the exact number of leaves,” a BCCI source told the Times of India.
Kuldeep Yadav Has Been Part of India’s Setup Across Formats Since the England Tour
Kuldeep Yadav has been with the India team across all formats. The spinner got engaged in June and has been part of the squad on the England tour, the Asia Cup 2025, the home series against the West Indies, the white-ball series in Australia, and the ongoing Test assignment against South Africa.
India are set to face New Zealand next before beginning preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Kuldeep took 12 wickets in two Test matches against the West Indies.
He carried that form into the South Africa series, starting with figures of 1 for 24 in seven overs during the opening session of the first Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday, November 14.
The Wedding Will Be Finalised on an Auspicious Date, Probably in November – Kuldeep Yadav’s Coach
Kuldeep Yadav’s coach, Kapil Pandey, had shared that the spinner’s wedding was initially delayed due to the busy cricket schedule but is now expected to take place in November.
“The IPL has just ended and the England tour will start soon, so players couldn’t join. The wedding will be finalised on an auspicious date, probably in November. A starry turnout is expected,” Kapil Pandey told the Hindustan Times in June.
The second Test match between India and South Africa will begin on November 22 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. After the red-ball matches, the teams will play a three-match ODI series from November 30 to December 6, followed by a five-game T20I series.