"I feel Kuldeep is the best spinner in the world at the moment" - Aakash Chopra on Kuldeep Yadav's outstanding ODI numbers
Aakash Chopra reckons Kuldeep Yadav is currently the world's best spinner in ODI cricket.
Kuldeep is the only specialist spinner in India's squad at the ongoing Asia Cup and the provisional 15-member side picked for the subsequent World Cup. He has proved his worth in the Men in Blue's first two Super Four games, picking up five wickets against Pakistan and following it up with a four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra placed Kuldeep on a high pedestal. He said:
"I feel Kuldeep is the best spinner in the world at the moment. If you see Kuldeep Yadav's numbers, you say he is a proper wicket-taker. We are talking about spinners who have taken 150 ODI wickets. Firstly, 150 wickets is a very good number, it is not a small sample size."
The former Indian opener pointed out that the consensus is that the current ODI rules have made it tough for the spinners. He explained:
"Everyone says the spinner's role has slightly reduced in ODI cricket because there are three powerplays and it is very difficult to bowl in the middle overs as an extra fielder is within the circle and the batter gets set before the last 10 overs."
Only four fielders are currently allowed outside the 30-yard circle between the 11th and 40th overs in ODI cricket. The batters have tended to make the most of it by playing more aggressively in the middle overs instead of trying to preserve their wickets and launching an attack in the last 10 overs or so.
"He is the third on the list in terms of strike rate" - Aakash Chopra on Kuldeep Yadav
![Kuldeep Yadav is a wicket-taking weapon in the middle overs. [P/C: AP]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/09/37e31-16946686146424-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra pointed out that Kuldeep Yadav is behind only Ajantha Mendis and Rashid Khan in terms of strike rate for spinners who have taken at least 150 ODI wickets. He elaborated:
"If we see the best strike rate for spinners in ODIs, Ajantha Mendis was the fastest to 150 wickets. 152 wickets in 84 innings (strike rate of 27.3) - outstanding. Then Sir Rashid Khan - 172 wickets in 89 innings. He has a strike rate of 27.8. Kuldeep Yadav - he is the third on the list in terms of strike rate."
The reputed commentator added that the success the left-arm wrist-spinner has enjoyed despite bowling conventionally makes him special. He stated:
"He has taken only 85 innings to pick up 150 wickets. He has a strike rate of 30.1. He is special because he is orthodox. If you talk about Ajantha Mendis and Rashid Khan, they had or have mystery. This guy has no mystery. He bowls normal leg-spin and googly and traps you with that itself."
Chopra pointed out that Saqlain Mushtaq (30.4), Imran Tahir (32) and Saeed Ajmal (32.6) are the other spinners in the 150-wicket club with the best strike rates. While acknowledging that left-arm wrist-spinners are a rarity, he concluded by stating that Kuldeep has the might and stands tall among all these great spinners.