India veteran spinner Kuldeep Yadav revealed that bowling in the Duleep Trophy before the Asia Cup 2025 helped him to get his rhythm back in the mega event. Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 summit clash at Dubai International Stadium in Dubai.
Notably, the 30-year-old veteran spinner was part of India's squad for the five-Test match series of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, but he was unable to feature in the playing XI as the management decided to feature with more batting options.
Kuldeep Yadav's performance in the Asia Cup 2025
However, Kuldeep ended his Asia Cup 2025 campaign as the highest wicket-taker with 17 scalps in nine outings of the tournament. His best figures of the tournament were 4/7 against the UAE in Dubai. After India's five-wicket win against Pakistan in the title decider, the Uttar Pradesh-born spinner told Rinku Singh in a candid chat that skipper Suryakumar Yadav backed him a lot.
"I don't have fixed goals and I have only one motivation to perform well for the team whenever I get a chance. When you are out of cricketing action, you need rhythm. That was important to me, and I played the Duleep Trophy where I bowled a lot, so when I came in Dubai for the Asia Cup, I got my rhythm. My role was to bowl in the middle over and control the run flow. The captain backed me a lot in this, thanks to the captain" Kuldeep Yadav told Rinku Singh on a video shared by BCCI.
India's performance in the Asia Cup 2025
Suryakumar Yadav-led India were unbeaten in the tournament, defeating UAE, Pakistan and Oman in the Group Stage. After that, the Men in Blue came victorious against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the Super Four before again defeating Pakistan in the final.