Kuldeep Yadav completed 200 ODI wickets in his 123rd match, becoming the second-fastest Indian to the milestone
He finished with 2/65 in 10 overs, emerging as one of the few Indian bowlers to contain the West Indies
Kuldeep reached 200 wickets in 6,319 balls, the third-fastest among spinners after Saqlain Mushtaq and Rashid Khan
West Indies ran riot with the bat in the second ODI against India at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, piling up a mammoth 405 after Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl. John Campbell, Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo all struck centuries as the Indian attack endured a brutal afternoon.
Campbell set the tone with 101 off 68 balls, before Hope made 104 off 94 and Jangoo accelerated spectacularly for 114 off 77. It was a rare ODI innings featuring three individual centurions.
Amid the carnage, Kuldeep Yadav was one of the few Indian bowlers to emerge with something to celebrate. The left-arm wrist-spinner completed his full quota with figures of 2/65 from 10 overs, an economy rate of 6.50, while reaching a major personal landmark, 200 ODI wickets. At one stage, with West Indies at 380/6 after 47 overs, Kuldeep had already completed his spell with those figures.
Kuldeep Yadav Completes 200 ODI Wickets
Kuldeep entered the second ODI sitting on 198 wickets from 122 matches, needing two more to reach the landmark. He got exactly what he needed in Guwahati, becoming the latest Indian bowler to enter the 200-wicket club. Before the match, his 198 wickets had come at an average of 26.70, with best figures of 6/25.
His second wicket was a significant one as he removed Hope for 104. The West Indies captain failed to pick Kuldeep's googly while attempting to attack across the line, bringing his innings to an end after he had earlier been given two lives by India in the field. Hope had been dropped on 15 and again on 27, with Virat Kohli responsible for the second missed opportunity.
Kuldeep Among Fastest Indians And Spinners To Milestone
Kuldeep reached 200 wickets in his 123rd ODI, making him the second-fastest Indian to the landmark by matches, behind Mohammed Shami, who required 104 games. Ajit Agarkar reached the mark in 133 ODIs, followed by Zaheer Khan in 144 and Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath in 147.
The 31-year-old also reached 200 wickets after bowling 6,319 deliveries. Among spinners, only Pakistan great Saqlain Mushtaq (5,451 balls) and Afghanistan star Rashid Khan (5,782) got there quicker. Kuldeep sits ahead of Adam Zampa (6,385), Adil Rashid (6,881) and Shane Warne (6,983).
On a day when West Indies' batters dominated almost everything thrown at them, Kuldeep walked away with a landmark that further strengthens his place among India's finest ODI spinners.
