Sometimes, it is important to bury the ghost of the past and make a fresh start in one’s endeavours. Kuldeep Yadav seemed to have done the same on the grand finale of the 2025 Champions Trophy between India and New Zealand by extracting the big wickets of Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson.
Rohit Sharma’s misfortune with the toss continued as he took the field before the start of play. Mitchell Santner decided to bat first on a surface devoid of grass, and the openers – Will Young and Rachin Ravindra – backed it up with a fifty-plus partnership before Varun Chakaravarthy got the better of the right-hander. Soon after, the attacking intent of the Indian captain to summon Kuldeep early in the attack paid dividends as the left-arm wrist spinner outsmarted Ravindra and Williamson in his opening spell.
Kuldeep, who averages 156 with the ball in ICC knockout events, was summoned to bowl after a 69-run first powerplay. He initiated the spell with a wrong’un against a well-set Ravindra who played outside the line and got beaten on the inside edge to witness the stumps dismantled. In the second ball of Kuldeep’s next over, he dished a fuller one at the stumps which Williamson tried to chip past the bowler’s right. However, he got the inside half, and the ball rebounded aerially towards Kuldeep’s right, which the Uttar Pradesh-based spinner grasped firmly. Subsequently, New Zealand were in a spot of a bother with a couple of big wickets, sparking Twitterverse buzz.
Kuldeep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kuldeep Yadav doesn’t perform in Knockouts 🥶👋🏻pic.twitter.com/TeYRTQJBiU
— Aditya (@Hurricanrana_27) March 9, 2025
Experts: Rachin Ravindra is in form, India will be in trouble
Kuldeep Yadav: pic.twitter.com/IUc7TmJift— Pakchikpak Raja Babu (@HaramiParindey) March 9, 2025
Yes
Just one
Number of deliveries Kuldeep bowled to pick Rachin’s wicket: 1pic.twitter.com/WtCndLW8b0
— Mad Max (@madmaxtweetz) March 9, 2025
Kuldeep Yadav to Rachin Ravindra #INDvsNZpic.twitter.com/FnX0MxhvtG
— Desi Bhayo (@desi_bhayo88) March 9, 2025
Nice
LOL
Virat , Rohit to kuldeep pic.twitter.com/E4b87BHpbb
— Musugu Donga (@MusuguDhonga) March 9, 2025
Kuldeep Yadav 🔥👌🏻#INDvsNZ pic.twitter.com/c3m1Xryrwx
— elite° (@AdityaS_Indian) March 9, 2025
Praise him
Ian Bishop: “People were trolling Kuldeep Yadav in previous games but now you won’t see them praising him.” pic.twitter.com/pjvvDFzJIX
— 𝐉𝐨𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐞 (@jod_insane) March 9, 2025
Wicket!
Tears man Kuldeep final got a wicket in ICC final😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/MfgmJ2v97c
— Shivani (@meme_ki_diwani) March 9, 2025
