India left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has signed with Yorkshire for his first stint in county cricket, with the English club securing the services of the experienced spinner for the closing stages of the domestic season.
The 31-year-old will be available for five One-Day Cup matches before returning in September to feature in three of Yorkshire’s final four County Championship fixtures. Kuldeep has also been included in Yorkshire’s squad for Friday’s 50-over match against Glamorgan.
The move comes at an important stage in Kuldeep’s international career. The spinner has slipped down the pecking order in India’s white-ball plans, having been left out of the T20I squad for the tour of England. He was also an unused member of the squad throughout the subsequent ODI series.
Expressing his excitement about the opportunity, Kuldeep said he was looking forward to representing one of England’s most historic cricket clubs.
“I’m really pleased to be joining Yorkshire and grateful for this opportunity. It will be a real privilege to represent a Club with Yorkshire’s proud history,” he said.
“I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of playing in English conditions and after speaking with the management, I became really excited to join up with the team and I’m looking forward to making a positive contribution during my time at Headingley.”
Kuldeep brings an impressive international record to Yorkshire. He has played 18 Test matches for India, taking 79 wickets at an average of 22.35. One of his standout performances came during India’s five-Test home series against England in 2024, where he claimed 19 wickets. In the 50-over format, he has picked up 194 ODI wickets, establishing himself as one of India’s leading spin bowlers.
Yorkshire’s general manager of cricket, Gavin Hamilton, said the club believes Kuldeep’s experience and unique bowling style will prove valuable during the final phase of the season.
“Kuldeep is an accomplished, international quality player who will add incredible strength to our lineup for these blocks of fixtures,” Hamilton said.
“Given the dry summer we’ve experienced, we expect spin to play an important role during the closing stages of the season. Kuldeep gives us another dimension with his left-arm wrist spin and brings a wealth of experience at the highest level. We’re delighted to welcome him to Yorkshire.”
Kuldeep’s arrival provides Yorkshire with an experienced spin option as the club prepares for a crucial run of One-Day Cup and County Championship fixtures.
