Bhuvneshwar ahead of Umesh in bowlers’ battle
Kumar and Umesh Yadav experienced contrasting fortunes in their teams’ victories in the 2017 Indian Premier League on Monday. While Bhuvneshwar played a stellar role in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s win over Kings XI Punjab, Umesh achieved a dubious distinction during Kolkata Knight Riders’ victory on Monday.
In the game against Delhi Daredevils at the Ferozeshah Kotla, Rishabh Pant slammed three sixes and two fours in Umesh’s final over. In the process, the India pacer ended with figures of 4-0-53-1. This was the fourth time that Umesh conceded 50 or more in the IPL --- the joint-highest along with Ashok Dinda of Rising Pune Supergiant.
Umesh is second in the list for conceding the most number of runs in an innings in the IPL. In 2013, he conceded 65 runs off four overs in the IPL game between Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore, also played at the Kotla. Ishant Sharma’s dubious record
Ishant Sharma, who currently plays for Kings XI Punjab, holds the record for conceding the most runs in an IPL game, smashed for 66 runs in four overs by Chennai Super Kings in the 2013 IPL while playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Amit Mishra, Munaf Patel and RP Singh are the other Indian bowlers who have gone for 50 runs or more three times in the IPL. Among international bowl ers, Andre Russell has conceded 50 or more three times.
STELLAR ROLE
Umesh played a stellar role dur ing India’s brilliant Test summer at home. His peak was during the Australia series, where his pace hostility and reverse swing fetched him 17 wickets and helped India rally to win the series 2-1.
He was rested for the first cou ple of games for Kolkata Knight Riders, but came back in style with a haul of 4/33 against Kings XI Punjab. That spell prompted skipper Gautam Gambhir to labe him an extremely insightful and intelligent bowler.
IN PRIME FORM
On the other hand, Umesh’s new ball partner in the Dharamsala Test, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, has enjoyed a splendid run in the 2017 IPL.
In five matches, he has taken 15 wickets at a magnificent aver age of eight. In the game against Kings XI Punjab, the right-arm pacer picked 5/19, his maiden five-wicket haul in Twenty20s, as Sunrisers Hyderabad registered a five-run win to move to third in the points table.
During his time in Sunrisers Hyderabad from the 2014 IPL Bhuvneshwar’s bowling has improved. He is their designated death bowler and his control and economy rate played a massive role in Sunrisers winning the 2016 IPL. In 50 games that Bhuv neshwar has played for the team in the last four years, he is the leading wicket-taker with 76 wickets at an average of 17.88 and an economy rate of 7.12.