IND vs ENG [WATCH]: Kuldeep Yadav bamboozles Zak Crawley with a dream delivery on Day 1 of Dharamsala Test

In the fifth and final Test of the series at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on March 7, Kuldeep Yadav emerged as India’s standout bowler against England, delivering a stellar performance that left a lasting impact on the match.

Kuldeep Yadav: Five-wicket haul and milestone achievement

Kuldeep exhibited his prowess by dismantling England’s top order in the first innings, claiming a fifer. His impressive scalps included Zak Crawley (79), Ben Duckett (27), Ollie Pope (11) and Ben Stokes (0). This remarkable performance marked Kuldeep’s fourth five-for in Test cricket, showcasing his effectiveness as a key wicket-taker for the Indian team.

In addition to his stellar bowling display, Kuldeep achieved a significant milestone by completing 50 Test wickets during the course of the match. This milestone reflects his consistent contributions to the team’s success in the longest format of the game.

Sizzling delivery to dismiss Zak Crawley

While Kuldeep’s entire bowling spell was commendable, a standout moment occurred when he bowled a scintillating delivery to dismiss the well-set batter Crawley. Crawley had demonstrated resilience during the morning session, surviving a challenging period against India’s seamers. Notably, he had also successfully negotiated two reviews off Kuldeep earlier in the day. and reached his half-century by driving Kuldeep for four, heading into lunch unbeaten on 61 off 71 balls.

Also WATCH: Shubman Gill plucks a stunning catch to dismiss Ben Duckett on Day 1 of Dharamsala Test

Kuldeep posed an even greater threat to Crawley after the break, consistently beating him on both edges and creating several half chances before ultimately dismissing him. On the 3rd ball of the 38th over, Kuldeep bowled a flighted delivery that Crawley attempted to drive down the ground. However, he was completely deceived, with the ball threading the gap between bat and pad and crashing into the stumps.

Here’s the video:

𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐖𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐓 💥

Kuldeep 𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 the game around, all by himself 🤩#IDFCFirstBankTestSeries #BazBowled #INDvENG #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/tOnj8RgLJq

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) March 7, 2024

England’s batting collapse in the Dharamsala Test

It was Kuldeep’s third wicket of the day by dismissing Duckett and Pope in the morning session. This initiated a sudden and significant collapse for England as Bairstow fell victim to Kuldeep’s bowling a few overs later, followed by Joe Root being trapped lbw by Ravindra Jadeja in the subsequent over.

Kuldeep further intensified England’s struggles by getting Stokes lbw, turning their strong position of 175/3 into a challenging 175/6. Subsequently, Ravichandran Ashwin, playing his 100th Test, took charge, swiftly removing Tom Hartley and Mark Wood in a quick session, leaving the visitors reeling at 194/8 by the tea break. Despite useful contribution from Ben Foakes who took the score over 200, England were eventually bowled out for 218 in 57.4 overs.

Also READ: IND vs ENG: Ravichandran Ashwin receives his 100th Test cap from coach Rahul Dravid and guard of honour from teammates