Kuldeep Yadav Visits Bageshwar Dham, Touches Feet Of Pandit Dhirendra Shastri To Seek Blessings Ahead of ODI World Cup 2023

India's wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav recently won the Player of the Series award at Asia Cup 2023 after he finished with a total of nine wickets that helped Men In Blue clinch the title.

Kuldeep touches Pandit Dhirendra Shastri's feet. (Source: X)

India's spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who features in India's ODI World Cup 2023 squad, visited Bageshwar Dham to seek the blessings of Pandit Dhirendra Shastri. Kuldeep had earlier too paid a visit to the Dham before the Asia Cup 2023. Not to forget, Kuldeep is lone wrist spinner in the World Cup squad and Team India captain Rohit Sharma is banking on him to come good in the big-ticket event.

Kuldeep has been rested from the first two ODIs vs Australia. The three-match series begins on September 22, which will be the last attempt for Indians and Aussies to brush up their skills and zero in on their final XI. Rohit said that Kuldeep is their key player and the management does not want to give too much away about him at the start of the World Cup.

Rohit, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya are also missing from the ODI World Cup squad ahead of the series as the selectors do not wan the senior players to get injured and more importantly get the much-needed break and rest ahead of the World Cup.

Kuldeep Yadav visited Bageshwar Dham to seek the blessings of Pujya Sarkar ahead of the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/rRy6BueBGb — Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 20, 2023

There will be pressure on Kuldeep to perform. He has been chosen over Yuzvendra Chahal to do the job. Kuldeep has had a good year and a half. Rohit and head coach Rahul Dravid then decided to opt him service as the wrist spinner, dropping Chahal from the World Cup squad. 

Kuldeep's excellent show with the ball helped Team India clinch the Asia Cup 2023. In the tournament, Kuldeep grabbed nine wickets to win the Player of the Series award.

The 28-year-old spinner from UP went off track after after the 2019 ODI World Cup. He then suffered a knee injury in IPL 2021 which forced him to undergo a surgery. It was followed by a hairline fracture on wrist, which kept him out of the team. But as soon as he got the chance to get back to the team, he has shown massive improvement. He has credited Rohit Sharma for asking and pushing him to bowl at a higher speed. 

"The last year and a half has been amazing, I’m enjoying my bowling. I have been working on my rhythm and being more aggressive through the crease,” Kuldeep had said after Asia Cup 2023. He and Indian will hope that the World Cup goes the same way for the spinner.