The first of the three-match ODIs of the India vs South Africa cricket series in Ranchi in 2025 saw a brutal attack by the towering all-rounder of the South African team, Marco Jansen. There with his freakishly long arms and his monstrous hitting range, Jansen hit a smouldering 70 off only 39 balls, including three sixes, and he flattened the Indian bowling attack, bringing his own side within reach of the massive 350 target.
However, right when Jansen appeared to be unstoppable, the game turned the other way around and all due to a ball. Learn: How Kuldeep Yadav “so-bad-that-it-is-good ball” changed everything.
Kuldeep Yadav magical delivery
Great wickets are often caused by pitch-perfect turners or false flight. In this match, however, the magic delivery of Kuldeep Yadav was neither. Rather, he threw a short, slow “long-hop” upon an even Ranchi track, which was of little help. It resembled a hit-me ball, the sort that batters as Jansen adores.
But, Jansen, expecting the length-ball to strike, made a strong pull. The ball slid and kept going down, which led to the mistiming of the shot. The outcome: an ill-timed shot, which, however, flew so high that it fell only in the hands of a deep mid-wicket fielder. Jansen was gone. It was that one bad ball which turned the tide. This was how Kuldeep Yadav’s “so-bad-that-it-is-good ball” changed fortunes.
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How Kuldeep Yadav’s “so-bad-that-it-is-good ball” impacted the game
Kuldeep finished the game with 4/68, which is an outstanding result on the day when the pitch and conditions favoured batsmen. When Jansen (70 off 39) and shortly afterwards Matthew Breetzke (72 off 80) were dismissed, the South African middle order then collapsed, all thanks to the Kuldeep Yadav magical delivery that shattered a threatening 97-run partnership. (1)
In quick succession, South Africa team went down 230-odd to just 5, then to 228 to 7, and the game was instantly in the hands of India. It is this dramatic change, courtesy of a single ball, that has rendered this match a bowling-highlight of the season.
Why this worked
On paper, it is suicidal to bowl a short and slow delivery to a batsman in full rhythm. But Kuldeep Yadav adhered to his plan: confuse it, do not use a regular spin, and leave the batsman on his toes. Reportedly, he changed ends prior to coming back, a move that shifted angle and rhythm. Perhaps, this move was pivotal on how Kuldeep Yadav’s so-bad-that-it-is-good ball changed the game.
It was a daring decision on a plain pitch where there was dew and little turn. He believed in variation and timing instead of the length of a stock spinner or a delivered flight. The outcome was not only a wicket but a psychological blow to the opposition. In my case, this demonstrates that the bad ball at times turns out to be the most threatening weapon in cricket, just like how Kuldeep Yadav’s so-bad-that-it-is-good ball turned the game.
Amit Mishra’s Take
Being a cricket fan who not only watches the games to be entertained but also to notice minute details of the tactical aspects, I was shocked by how Kuldeep Yadav’s “so-bad-that-it-is-good ball” changed the complexion of the match. It was a delivery that did not look threatening at all, but it marked the turning point; for me, it’s definitely one of the India vs South Africa highlights.
Marco Jansen, who was smashing everything clean, had misjudged that small ball, so I had seen how brilliant Kuldeep had been about his approach. Personally, I found the magical delivery of Kuldeep Yadav not to be magical since it drifted or spun, but because it distorted rhythm and destabilised confidence and turned the game around at a point when nothing else did. (2)
Seeing this, I was reminded of the fact that the beauty of cricket-matches is unpredictability. Just like how Kuldeep Yadav’s “so-bad-that-it-is-good ball” happened.
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