Kuldeep achieved the feat in the 38th over of Australia’s chase, when he had Alex Carey caught by skipper Virat Kohli at short extra cover for 18. He soon made it 101, this time getting the all-important scalp of Steve Smith as the right-hander dragged one onto his stumps to fall for 98. He eventually finished with returns of 2-65 from 10 overs.

Two wickets in quick succession and India are right back in it.

Kuldeep Yadav becomes the third fastest Indian to 100 ODI wickets. He first has Alex Carey caught at short extra-cover and then castles the well set Steve Smith in the same over for 98.#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/FOUMvWTD30

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) January 17, 2020

He became the third-fastest Indian to the 100-wicket mark, behind Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, who took 56 and 57 games respectively. Kuldeep also became the third-quickest spinner overall, a position he jointly occupies with South Africa’s Imran Tahir after Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan (44) and Pakistan’s Saqlian Mustaq (53). Rashid is the fastest bowler to the milestone, with a wide gulf of eight games between him and the second-placed Mitchell Starc who achieved the feat in his 52nd game.

Kuldeep, currently the 11th ranked bowler in ODIs has been one of the most prolific wicket-takers in the format ever since his debut in June 2017 and has bagged the most wickets in the period: well ahead of the second-placed Jasprit Bumrah’s 81.

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In the second ODI against West Indies played in Visakhapatnam last month, he became the first Indian to register two ODI hattricks, when he dismissed Shai Hope, Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph off successive deliveries in the chase, his first having come two years earlier against Australia in Kolkata. He equalled Chaminda Vaas, Trent Boult, Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq in the hat-trick count, which Lasith Malinga leads with three to his name.