Kuldeep Yadav has picked up a groin niggle, which had ruled him out of Delhi Capitals’s previous two matches in IPL 2024. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Kuldeep has been advised rest as a precautionary move, but there is no confirmation yet on when he will be ready to play again.

The injury is probably not serious, considering Kuldeep has been travelling with the Capitals squad and is currently in Mumbai where they play their next match – against Mumbai Indians on April 7.

Kuldeep played Capital’s opening two matches this season – both away games, against Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals – and picked up three wickets. But he missed their next games in Visakhapatnam, their second home venue: against Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders. While the Capitals won against CSK, they sorely missed Kuldeep in their 106-run defeat against KKR, after which their head coach Ricky Ponting said he was “almost embarrassed”.

The Indian selectors will be monitoring Kuldeep’s progress closely, given he is a frontrunner to take one of the spin slots in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup, which starts on June 1 in the West Indies and the USA.

Kuldeep entered the IPL after a successful five-match Test series against England, where he bowled more than one match-turning spell. Kuldeep played from the second Test onwards and finished with 19 wickets, including a five-for in the final Test in Dharamsala, where he was named the Player of the Match.

After Sunday’s game, Capitals’ next match is against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on April 12.