Umesh Yadav doesn't want to lose his natural outswinger to bowl more incoming deliveries

Umesh Yadav doesn't want to lose his natural outswinger to bowl more incoming deliveries

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BCCI

In reply to Sanjay Manjrekar’s advice to bowl more in-swinging balls, Umesh Yadav has said that he doesn’t want to lose his natural out-swinging capacity while trying to do otherwise. The Vidarbha pacer has also added that the South Africa tour can put the focus back on the fast bowling unit.

After almost three years of cricket in the batting friendly conditions of India, the Men in Blue will now travel to South Africa for a full series of three Tests, six ODIs, and three T20Is. This will be the first real challenge for the Virat Kohli-led side on the seamer-friendly conditions. To keep that in mind, cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar advised Umesh to bowl a line where batsmen don’t leave most of his deliveries and also owing to the suspect slip catching of the Indian team. But Yadav stated that if tries that, he might end up doing his natural string.

“Like Kapil Dev, my natural delivery is outswinger. If I try to bowl too many incoming deliveries, it can lead to me losing my outswinger, which I don’t want. Obviously, there will be a few change-ups with incoming deliveries but outswinger remains my core strength,” Yadav told PTI.

“During earlier tours, we were younger and expectedly more excited. But now, all of us - Ishant, Shami, Bhuvi and myself know how to curb ourover enthusiasm. We will be assessing the conditions. Like if it’s a hard and bouncy pitch, you have to hit the good length consistently while if it’s spongy bouncy then I will have to pitch it up.”

The fast bowler went on to state that the current Indian attack has the ability to take 20 wickets in a Test match and can put the African nation to test.

“The wickets in South Africa will put the focus back on the fast bowling unit and rightly so. There will be a lot of expectation from us and I believe this attack has the ability to get 20 South African wickets. All of us had a good 14 months at home and it’s time to translate into overseas success.

“I believe good fitness, proper plans were key to our success in the sub-continent. But the main thing is the attitude with which you enter the field. If we can maintain it in South Africa, no one can stop us,” said the man, who is one shy of completing 100 Test wickets.”

Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have become the first-choice white-ball bowlers for some time now, but the 30- year-old does not want to read too much into the pattern of selection and wants to focus more on his cricket. 

“I can tell you that the national selectors have been quite aware of the workload on myself and Mohammed Shami. They have been very supportive and at no point have they told us that we are not in their scheme of things as far as limited-overs are concerned,” Yadav clarified.

“There have been times when we have gone up to the selectors and have asked for rest having bowled a lot of overs in Test matches. When you are playing all formats, there is bound to be more wear and tear.”

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