Talented bowler Kuldeep Sen returned to cricket in January 2024. He had been ruled out since December 2022 after he sustained a back injury during his debut series against Bangladesh. Later, in November 2024, he was bought by Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League mega-auction as well.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, Kuldeep said, “No one in my family knew much about cricket. Since I come from a very middle-class family, they did not know much about playing cricket, where one should train, etc. Everybody liked watching cricket, but my father didn’t like it at all. He started watching cricket only after I started playing; otherwise, he wouldn’t be a fan. When I started playing cricket, no one in my family knew about it except my mother.”
However, financial constraints was there for Kuldeep in the early years. And, his selection in the Madhya Pradesh team for domestic cricket in 2019 helped him with finances as well. Since then, he has also made his international debut for India in 2022 against Bangladesh as well.
“I was training in Bangalore and was sitting with my friends. I had this gut feeling, even before the auction started, that I would be acquired by Punjab Kings. I told my friends about this as well. I gave my first IPL trial for Punjab Kings only in 2018. So, it was an inside feeling that this year, I would be selected by Punjab. I was excited that I am going to a great team and will have a new experience with the new team,” Kuldeep Sen said while recalling his IPL auction moment.

However, he will also be reuniting with his Rajasthan Royals teammate Yuzvendra Chahal. He shared how fun-loving the veteran spinner is and will learn from him as well.
“I have been with Yuzi bhai for three years. He is a fun and humorous person and makes everybody laugh on the ground and in the hotel. He is a very pure-hearted person. You can talk to him any time, and you get to learn a lot of things. But whenever one meets him, he will try to irritate you for fun,” Kuldeep Sen concluded.