Umesh Yadav- India’s greatest weapon in Asia

UmeUmesh has been an underrated bowler for India [Source: Twitter]

When you think of fast bowlers in India, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami come to mind. Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur are the other two names that invariably pop up in your mind. But one name that doesn't come up in many conversations surrounding the rise of Indian pace bowling is Umesh Yadav. 

Despite making his Test debut before the aforementioned names, Umesh hasn't really sealed his spot in the playing XI. The reason is Unesh's abysmal record in overseas conditions. He averages just under 38.00 with the ball in away conditions. In 2019, his average was in excess of 40, considering that it can be said that he's improving in away conditions. 

Inarguably, those are poor returns for any fast bowler, especially for someone like Umesh who has the immense potential to succeed in all conditions.

Whenever India tours overseas Umesh remains a fringe player but opposite to that whenever a Test is played at the home, he becomes one of the frontrunners to secure his place in the playing eleven. In Asian conditions, the stature of Umesh Yadav- The Test bowler grows. 

He becomes a beast of a bowler in the subcontinent conditions, which are often favourable for the spinners. When a Test match is played in Asia, you expect spin to dominate the game and affect the outcome of the game. But then walks in Umesh Yadav with the SG ball in hand, takes wickets and your perception of Asian conditions immediately changes. 

The 35-year-old enjoys bowling on Asian tracks as he owns 115 wickets in the 75 Test innings. If we specifically talk about the Indian conditions then, Umesh's stats are remarkable. He has taken 98 wickets at an impressive average of 25.16 and an outstanding strike rate of 47.26.

In the coming series, he would like to enhance his numbers even further. Of all the bowlers who have bowled a minimum of 500 overs in Asian conditions, Pakistan's legend Waqar Younis has the best average (20.6) and strike rate (38.2). 

In the same list, Umesh features in the sixth position. With an average of 26.3 and a strike rate of 48.5, the right arm pacer’s name has already been etched in the history book. He’s in the elite company of Waqar Younis, Mohammed Shami, Dale Steyn, Shoaib Akhtar, and Courtney Walsh.

Notably, only Shami has a better strike rate (41.4) than Umesh (48.5), which is the second-best for all Indian pacers in Asia (Minimum 250 overs bowled). Having played more than Umesh at home, Shami has understandably become the leader of the pace attack in Indian conditions, it is Umesh who has done the heavy lifting on unforgiving pitches at home.

However, the common link between all the aforementioned fast bowlers is their ability to reverse the ball.

Reverse swing often becomes one of the biggest weapons in a bowler’s artillery in the subcontinent. Very few of the fast bowlers going around the world have comprehended the art of reverse swing and Umesh definitely is one of them. 

The Vidarbha-based seamer has been one of the best exponents of reverse swing bowling. With his ability to operate at a higher pace, Umesh excels with the old ball on abrasive tracks.

He is an excellent exponent of swing bowling [Source: Associated Press]

In Asian conditions, he had gained the reputation of being a wicket-taking option who could pick up wickets when on song. The strong build Umesh is a rhythm bowlers who can inflict damage with the new ball and also return later to strike back with the older ball. 

Over the years, he’s got the better of the opposition batters with unerring accuracy, relentlessly attacking the stumps which have produced results for team India. His impeccable line and length have forced batters to poke at the deliveries they should leave normally. 

Umesh's strong foundations have helped him build into a proper workhorse in the current Indian team. Adding to this, Umesh's thirst for improvement has helped him to garner respect from everyone around the globe. It hasn't been an easy journey for Umesh, but he has worked hard on his skills to make sure he remains in the fray.

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