"New wall of Indian cricket" - Fans react to Kuldeep Yadav's assured knock on Day 2 of IND vs ENG 5th Test

Team India's left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav looked solid with the bat on Day 2 (Friday, March 8) of the side's ongoing fifth and final Test of the home series against England in Dharamsala.

Kuldeep, who walked out to bat at No. 9, remained unbeaten on 27 runs off 55 deliveries at stumps. The left-handed batter had earlier earned widespread appreciation for his 131-ball 28-run knock in the fourth Test in Ranchi.

The tailender was once again lauded by fans on social media as he continued his impressive run with the bat. Here are some of the top reactions:

England's hopes of making a comeback after taking wickets in quick succession in the final session were squandered by Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah. The two frustrated the visitors with an unbeaten 45-run stand as India finished at 473/8 at stumps, swelling their lead to 255.

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"He is a bit like Virat Kohli" - Dinesh Karthik on Kuldeep Yadav's transformation

Kuldeep Yadav's resurgence has benefited India significantly across formats in the recent past. After suffering a leg injury in 2021, the crafty spinner bounced back in stunning fashion, carving a niche for himself at the highest level once again.

Speaking about the 29-year-old's comeback, veteran keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik compared Kuldeep's fitness transformation to that of former India captain Virat Kohli. During a discussion on Cricbuzz, the cricketer-commentator said:

"You do look at his (Kuldeep) pictures, he is a bit like Virat Kohli in the sense that he used to look very different to what he is today. He's just evolved as a bowler and as a player. Sometimes, you need to go through hardships to realize how much you need to work, and that's the beauty of sport, it always pushes you to a corner, and you have to come out fighting."

Kuldeep Yadav has 17 wickets to his name from seven innings in the Test series against England. He bagged a brilliant five-wicket haul in the first innings of the ongoing Dharamsala Test.