Umesh Yadav : We planned to bowl as many maidens as possible

After posting a mammoth 566 runs on the board, Indian bowlers gave a patient and determined performance on day 3 at Antigua to bowl out West Indies for 243 to enforce a follow-on. The star performers of the day were the pacers as they took nine wickets on the day – eight in first innings and one in the second innings. Indian team bowled 34 maidens out of the 103.2 overs bowled on the day and speaking to reporters after the close of play, Umesh Yadav revealed that it was a plan by the team to frustrate the batsmen.

"When we came to the ground and saw the wicket, we realised we won't get wickets where the ball will seam or swing," Umesh said, at the end of the third day's play. "We knew the conditions would be pretty hard, especially because it was going to be hot as well.

The main thing we planned was to bowl as many maidens as possible, and not give easy boundaries. Whether it's the coach [Anil Kumble] or Virat [Kohli, the captain], the whole team sits and discusses the same thing, that it won't be easy to take 20 wickets, and so it becomes very important to plan."

The pacer added that the bowlers took a conscious decision not to look at the mammoth score posted by the team and bowled as if they had made only 350.

"We don't look at it like we have 566," he said. "We look at it like we have only made 350, and the earlier we bowl them out, the better it is for us in the second innings. Our effort was that, if we got them out by the end of today, we would have two more days to bowl them out again."

The 28-year-old also praised the performance of the bowling department and said that they push each other when things are difficult.

"We always give that kind of confidence to each other, always we are pushing [each other]," Umesh Yadav said. "Whenever things are a little difficult, we need to push our friend or team-mate a little bit, and lift them. When we see, for example, that Shami is bowling very well but he's not getting wickets, my job is, I go to him and say, "Shami, you're bowling very well, keep going." Because I know that if someone is bowling well from one end, then it helps the person at the second end, so if we don't plan and bowl as a combination, it becomes difficult for us. Main thing is, you push each other and complement each other, and recognise that, "yeah, it's not my day today [to take wickets], it's your day".”

There was no doubt about it, because he's (Mohammed Shami) a natural bowler. We never thought he'll struggle. If he struggled, it was only until he had recovered from his injury. No one has to tell him, bowl here, bowl like this. He's a smart bowler, he's got everything - outswing, inswing, bouncers."

Mohammed Shami also starred for the side with a four-wicket haul and Umesh Yadav said that the team never doubted Shami’s ability to make a comeback after missing out on the Test team for one and a half years with a knee injury.

"There was no doubt about it, because he's a natural bowler. We never thought he'll struggle. If he struggled, it was only until he had recovered from his injury. No one has to tell him, bowl here, bowl like this. He's a smart bowler, he's got everything - outswing, inswing, bouncers,” the 28-year-old said.

Also, read : Virat Kohli | The 5-year long journey from Jamaica to Antigua