Umesh Yadav will definitely give results once he plays more, feels mentor Subroto Banerjee
Former Indian pacer Subroto Banerjee, who has also mentored Umesh Yadav in the past, feels that the pacer will start delivering results once he gets ample opportunities to play. The Vidarbha pacer has been flown in as a replacement for Jasprit Bumrah, who sustained a stress fracture.
In many ways, Umesh Yadav’s career has followed a weird progression since the start of 2016, with the pacer being looked at as more of a specialist in Indian conditions by skipper Virat Kohli. While Yadav has enjoyed enormous success at home, including being pivotal in wins over England, Australia and West Indies, he has not quite had the same success abroad, leaving everyone puzzled.
Former Indian pacer Subroto Banerjee, who has served as a mentor for the Vidarbha pacer in the past, feels that the reason for Yadav’s success in India is his ability to reverse the ball with pace, a trait that has troubled many a batsman in the past.
“He is effective in India because he reverses very well, and he has that extra bit of pace. Being basically a skiddy bowler, he is different,” Banerjee told Hindustan Times.
Now, ahead of another jam-packed home season, the 31-year-old has once again been closely working with Banerjee to fine-tune his game. The former Indian pacer feels that the key for Yadav lies in him hitting the right length, as a combo of that and his pace will automatically turn out to be a lethal one for the batsmen to encounter.
Banerjee also feels that Yadav needs to be playing continuously - both home and away - to find momentum and be at his best and feels that the 31-year-old will definitely yield the expected results should he play day in and day out in Test cricket.
“Once he starts hitting the length with his pace, he will definitely be effective.
“What he needs is more momentum, which will come by playing match after match. As he plays more, he will definitely give results. He is a quality bowler,” Banerjee opined.
The first Test between India and South Africa will commence from October 2nd in Vizag and should he play, Yadav would be looking to hit the ground running from ball one.