On the second day of the third Test between India and Australia, Umesh Yadav bowled just five overs and yet managed to take three wickets as he helped India clean up the Australian lower order. The 35-year-old showed tremendous poise and accuracy on a pitch that heavily favoured spinners, with his victims including Cameron Green and Peter Handscomb, who had put up quite a fight against the Indians in the first hour of play. Of great benefit to his team, Yadav’s performance proved that experience adds an extra sharpness to one’s bowling abilities even under difficult conditions.
Umesh Yadav is one of India’s most experienced fast bowlers, having made his Test debut way back in 2013. Despite this, he has often been overshadowed by the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in selection for new teams. Furthermore, the emergence of Mohammed Siraj in the last couple of years hasn’t helped either. Even though Umesh has accomplished plenty over the years, his lack of consistent game time and injuries have seriously hampered his progress. Nonetheless, when given an opportunity to strut his stuff on the international stage, Umesh has shown himself capable of delivering performances that make even some of his more illustrious counterparts look inferior when compared to him. Hence he must be given a chance to prove himself if India really aspires to build a roster that will take home titles at global events in years to come.
