WI v IND | Gave myself some time to work on my errors and recover rhythm, says Umesh Yadav

Umesh was last part of India’s Test squad that toured Australia in late December 2018, and he played one of four matches on that tour. In the second Test, he took two wickets for 139 runs from 37 overs. In T20Is, he was picked for one match against Australia in February when he conceded 35 runs from four wicketless overs, and his last ODI was in October 2018. He did not have a particularly good IPL as well, reaping only nine wickets from 11 matches for RCB. Consequently, he was overlooked for the 2019 World Cup squad as well. 

“I gave myself some time to work on my errors and get my rhythm back. I worked on my lengths. It happens with fast bowlers when you are playing in different countries. You’re unable to settle to a specific length. I worked on that. I went home, spoke to my coach, cleared my thoughts and got clarity. You need an off-time because it is only during your off-time that you can re-channelise your mindset,” Umesh was quoted saying by Cricket Country. 

Having been picked for the Test leg of the tour of the Caribbean, Umesh got himself some valuable match practice in the first-class match against West Indies A. His figures of three for 19 from 10 overs in the first innings gives him a reason to believe he could get the nod for the first Test starting on Thursday.

“I bowled the kind of deliveries I wanted to. I focused on the areas that I wanted to bowl, and I managed to bowl there. As a fast bowler, you need a bit of practice to set you rhythm, to know what line and lengths you to hit. I’ve also tried the same, to get my rhythm right, preparing myself to do what I’ll be doing in a match situation,” he said.

However, he is one of four pace bowlers, alongside Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, and Mohammed Shami looking for a place in the playing XI. 

“When you know that you’re going to be playing back-to-back Test matches, you also need that kind of a bench-strength. All the fast bowlers know there is good competition and that everyone is going to get an opportunity. Whoever does well, will get to play more. If we think in that manner, it’s good for us because we will try to improve ourselves,” Umesh added.