Kuldeep Yadav spun a web around South Africa on Sunday (November 30) to power India to a victory in the first ODI of a three-match series at the Jharkhand Cricket Association (JCA) Stadium in Ranchi with a stunning spell of 4-68 in a high-scoring clash.
Kuldeep dismissed Tony de Zorzi, who made 39 runs. Later, he dismissed Marco Jansen and Matthew Breetze in the space of three balls after the sixth-wicket pair of the Proteas put up a massive partnership of 97 runs in just 68 balls. The 30-year-old dismissed Jansen after the star all-rounder made a dazzling 39-ball 70, while almost immediately, he got the wicket of Matthew Breetzke, who made 72 runs in 80 balls.
Kuldeep Yadav Creates History
This marked the fourth instance in his career of Kuldeep taking a four-wicket haul against South Africa. Earlier, he took a four-for against the Proteas in an ODI game in Cape Town and Gqerbha in 2018 before doing the same in 2022 at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.
This is the most by a spinner against South Africa, as Kuldeep broke a world record he previously shared with Shane Warne and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Among pacers, Kuldeep is now level with Lasith Malinga, and only Brett Lee and Waqar Younis are ahead of him in the elite list.
Most Four-Wicket Hauls vs South Africa
| Player | Pacer/Spinner | Four-Fors vs South Africa | Years |
| Brett Lee | Pacer | 5 | 2000-2006 |
| Waqar Younis | Pacer | 5 | 1993-2002 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Spinner | 4 | 2018-2025 |
| Lasith Malinga | Pacer | 4 | 2004-2019 |
| James Anderson | Pacer | 3 | 2003-2013 |
| Jofra Archer | Pacer | 3 | 2019-2025 |
| Stuart Broad | Pacer | 3 | 2008-2016 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | Spinner | 3 | 2018-2022 |
| Darren Gough | Pacer | 3 | 1994-2005 |
| Paul Reiffel | Pacer | 3 | 1993-1999 |
| Shane Warne | Pacer | 3 | 1993-2002 |
This is the 10th time in his career that Kuldeep has taken a four-wicket haul in his ODI career. This is now the joint-most by an Indian spinner in the 50-over format alongside Anil Kumble. Among pace bowlers, only Ajit Agarkar (12) and Mohamme Shami (16) have more.