Star spinner recovers from injury at NCA ahead of IND vs ENG 2025 ODIs [In Pictures]

Team India spinner Kuldeep Yadav recently shared a few photographs from his recovery days at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. The cricketer thanked the support staff for playing an important role from behind the scenes.

Kuldeep has been out of action due to a hernia surgery, which first emerged midway through the home Test series against New Zealand. It also ruled him out of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India lost 1-3 against Australia.

However, the Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer has recovered completely and is eager to return to the field. He thanked the support staff at the NCA for playing an important role in the lives of cricketers.

"Recovery takes a team. Grateful to the NCA and its team for all the work behind the scenes! 💪🏻🙏🏻," Kuldeep Yadav wrote on Instagram along with a few images.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared an official update on Kuldeep during the New Zealand series, saying that the spinner suffered from a long-term groin injury.

“Kuldeep Yadav was unavailable for selection for the tour of Australia since he has been referred to the BCCI Centre of Excellence after the end of the ongoing Test series against New Zealand for long-term resolution of his chronic left groin issue,” the BCCI said in a statement.

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Kuldeep Yadav named in India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad

The 30-year-old cricketer, who hasn't played any competitive cricket since November last year, was named in India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad.

Kuldeep has been in good form in white-ball cricket, picking up 77 wickets in the last two years from 48 matches. It includes a spectacular run in ODIs in 2023 when he scalped 49 wickets in 30 games at an average of 20.48.

He will look to hit the strides in the upcoming three-match ODI series against England before the mega ICC event.

The Men in Blue will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai.

India's squad for Champions Trophy: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja.