Credit: BCCi
Veteran India pacer Umesh Yadav hasn’t played international cricket since his last appearance in the World Test Championship Final against Australia at the Oval in June 2023. Now, as senior players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Aswhin have announced their Test retirements while Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane sidelined from the Test setup, Umesh is still hopeful to make a comeback in the Indian team.
India are set to play a five-match Test series in England starting on June 20 with Shubman Gill being appointed as new Test captain and Rishabh Pant as his deputy. It is looking like the management is focusing on giving chances to young talents in the red-ball set-up. However, Umesh Yadav, who hasn’t played international cricket from the last two years, said that he has been giving full efforts to make his comeback but it is not in his hands to get back in the team.
“Efforts to make a comeback are complete. I cannot select myself. I will have to play some matches, get fit. To come back, I will have to play competitive cricket. My effort is to get fit and come back in the team,” Umesh Yadav said in his interview with Sports Tak.
I never went to any academy or nets: Umesh Yadav
Umesh Yadav was last seen playing in competitive cricket during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in November 2024. Talking about his Test career, Umesh has played 57 Test matches for India taking 170 scalps. He made his Test debut against West Indies in Delhi on November 6, 2011. Speaking further, Umesh revealed how he went on to be a fast bowlers and play for India despite not going to any academy.
“When I started playing cricket, I never thought that I will play this, I will play that, I would play for India. I am a natural fast bowler. I have been bowling fast since childhood. I never went to any academy or nets. That is why I never thought that I would play for India. I kept on playing," Umesh Yadav said.
“Someone told me to play this, someone told me to play that. While playing, the son of a coal miner is sitting here playing for India. I think some things that are meant to happen. I always say that fast bowlers are natural; you cannot turn someone into a fast bowler," he further added.
