Umesh Yadav may be a part of the Indian fast-bowling lineup that has earned plaudits over the last four to five years. Still, he has often had to sit on the sidelines, with Jasprit Bumrah & Mohammed Shami making their way ahead of him despite making their Test debuts after he made his own. In the recent years, Umesh has seen Mohammed Siraj also being preferred by the management.
Interestingly, Umesh has also become the fastest Indian pacer to reach 100 Test wickets in India. Umesh Yadav has reached the mark with a strike rate of 46.1, better than former India captain Kapil Dev (55.7). Kapil is the highest wicket-taker in India among Indian pacers, with 219 wickets. Javagal Srinath is second on the list with 108 wickets, and Zaheer Khan & Ishant Sharma come next with 104. Yadav’s strike rate, however, stands above all of the aforementioned fast bowlers. In this match, he completed 100 Test wickets on home soil which is a testament to his incredible skill set. Over the years, Umesh Yadav, the Vidarbha pacer, has proven his innate ability to dismiss batters even on placid wickets. One thing that makes him successful on these pitches is that he does not give the stumps away. Out of the 101 wickets he has taken, 51 have either been bowled or lbw. That is a very high percentage for a fast bowler, considering they usually try to make the most of the slip cordon. It also illustrates that he has greater control when the ball is not doing as much and can produce a moment of magic when everything seems mundane.
On a tough day where India’s batting order collapsed like a pack of cards against Australia on the 3rd Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023, Umesh Yadav was also buzzing on the Internet as he equalled Virat Kohli’s record of hitting sixes. This showcases his extreme ability as a Cricketer and how he is the hidden gem for Indian Cricket Team, which can be used way much in future tournaments.