Celebrating his 29th birthday, Kuldeep Yadav delivered a stellar performance, securing a T20I five-wicket haul, a first for a male cricketer on his birthday. This accomplishment, coupled with being the second Indian man, after Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and the first spinner to achieve two T20I five-wicket hauls, marked a historic day for Kuldeep. However, he deemed Suryakumar Yadav’s remarkable fourth T20I century as the ultimate birthday gift. Suryakumar’s aggressive innings of 100 off 56 balls propelled him into the elite list alongside Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell for the most T20I centuries.
Kuldeep expressed his admiration for Suryakumar’s batting prowess, emphasizing the challenging pitch conditions. Despite his extraordinary bowling feat, Kuldeep acknowledged the significance of Suryakumar’s contribution to India’s total of 201 for 7 in the third T20I against South Africa. The Proteas, attempting to chase down the target, faltered and were dismissed for 95 in 13.5 overs, resulting in a 106-run victory for India. In a post-match press conference, Kuldeep shared his focus on team success, emphasizing the importance of the win in the context of the three-match T20 series, which concluded in a 1-1 tie.
Reflecting on his own performance, Kuldeep acknowledged concerns about regaining his bowling rhythm after a hiatus. However, he expressed satisfaction with his delivery, attributing the favorable conditions and his well-aligned bowling rhythm to his success. The left-arm wrist spinner’s dedication to contributing to the team’s victory underscored the team-first mentality.
In summary, Kuldeep Yadav’s birthday became a historic cricketing milestone, marked by personal achievements and a collective team victory. Suryakumar Yadav’s exceptional batting display added a special touch to Kuldeep’s celebration, making it a memorable day for Indian cricket.