‘Want Umesh to go flat out every time he bowls’
I can’t ask for anything better. There is still room for improvement, but the bowlers did a good job (at Edgbaston). There was huge improvement from the first innings.
LONDON: He is pretty much India’s fastest bowler, but Umesh Yadav must have felt like a caged tiger during the Test series in South Africa in January.
Having soldiered on during the long phase of home Tests in 2016-17, playing 12 out of 13 Tests, and travelled to the West Indies before that and faced Sri Lanka away and at home, Umesh was a frustrated figure as the team management thrust Jasprit Bumrah into the opening bowler’s role alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The combination was an instant hit against the Proteas, enabling India to take 20 wickets in each of the three Tests – India lost the series 1-2 – and Umesh did not get the chance to let it rip on some of the fastest pitches in the world.
Umesh had been impressive ahead of the tour of South Africa -- taking 35 wickets at home, then six each against Sri Lanka in the two legs from five Tests. However, having warmed up in the one-off Test against Afghanistan in June, and the thumb fracture to Jasprit Bumrah in the first T20 against Ireland at the start of the tour, has made Umesh a part of the three-man Test attack, alongside Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami.
Umesh bowled well in parts in the Edgbaston Test. India’s three pacers shared 12 wickets at an average of 23. Umesh, who returned 1/56 from 17 in the first innings, bowled only seven in the second innings but took two crucial wickets of Sam Curran (63) and Adil Rashid (16), who featured in a 48-run eighth wicket stand that was decisive in the end. On Tuesday, Umesh bowled quick, troubling batsmen at the Lord’s nets. “Top ball”, Virat Kohli commented after one delivery beat the India skipper. Bowling coach Bharath Arun was pleased with Umesh’s showing in Edgbaston. “I can’t really divulge details of the conversation we had. Umesh is at his best when he is bowling quick. In the first innings, he was looking at bowling to one line. But in the second innings, he was being himself.”
The former India pacer was happy the bowlers had discov- ered the fuller length they needed to bowl in England to get the ball to swing, key to getting wickets. “I can’t ask for anything better. There is still room for improvement, but the bowlers did a good job. There was huge improvement from the first innings.”
Bumrah tested himself at Edgbaston with some light bowling and had a more intense session on Tuesday. However, Arun said he was far from ready. “He’s bowling-fit right now, but it’s too early to put him into a game-like situation. The plaster on his hand needs to come off first. He’s out of contention for the second Test.”
There have been suggestions from experts that India may benefit if they play an extra batsman. However, Arun felt that with India focused on winning, it would be a defensive move.
“Playing an extra batsman here, I would consider it as a conservative move. Everything depends on the conditions, and if the conditions are not going to be as (bowler) friendly as it was in the first Test, it makes more sense to play five bowlers.”