Fast And Furious: Is Umesh Yadav India’s New Pace Spearhead?

Mar 30, 2017 at 7:48 PM

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Fast And Furious: Is Umesh Yadav India’s New Pace Spearhead?

‘If there is no struggle, there is no progress’ – the words from African-American social reformer and writer Frederic Douglass in nineteen hundreds aptly summarizes Umesh Yadav if not as an individual but definitely as a bowler, like Umesh is for Yadav. Scratch that. Umesh has emerged as the pace bowling protagonist for India against Australia.

For India and for the gentleman’s game itself, the Vidarbha express has improved as a better version of the fast bowler in this season in which he had played 12 Tests out of 13 at home as he has saved his best shot for the last – to become the centre of attention while being unplayable at times with the new ball bowling against Australia which was equally on display with the old ball; that swung and took off from the ground after hitting the cracks developed on turf at picturesque Dharamsala Stadium, in the lap of snow-capped mountains in Himachal Pradesh.

There are some bowlers who lose battle to the injuries and there are some bowlers who give away in the middle of their career after giving memorable debuts and there is a bowler like Umesh, who has had learned from the struggle – season after another in a bid to carve the out niche of his true character while putting all efforts behind the golden arm – to deliver in grand style for his team.

Remember how Umesh celebrated; he took a big leap, then jumped in a joy which was followed by a thud in the air – to make melody on his own while holding a fist such is the celebration of a fast bowler like Umesh, who didn’t had enough success during the early days of his career as a speed gun for India.

Breathing fire, Umesh was splendid with the cherry while becoming the most sought-after bowler for India during the recently concluded Test series against Australia.

Following the excellence, Umesh in four-Test series against Australia had bagged 17 wickets at an average of 23.41 while sending down the marathon of overs on the 22-yard strip.

Marching into the numbers and making the equations simple Umesh had bowled 129 overs which included 22 maiden overs as he went wicketless in the only innings (2nd innings Ranchi) out of innings against Australia.

Except 774 legitimate deliveries he had bowled two no-balls which further showed how he had shown pure control while holding the ball.

Seen as the support to fast bowlers Umesh has brought himself under the spotlight to deliver the punch above his weight similarly like the way he has been celebrating after taking a wicket.

Bowling with such steam Umesh had helped his course to make picturesque Dharamsala a treasure trove of memories for his team and equally for himself following the vicious spell.

The 29-year-old Maharashtra-born Umesh has left the indelible mark by out-classing his counterparts in the form of Mitchell Starc then Josh Hazlewood and followed by Pat Cummins before bowling the proving line in the series decider in Dharamsala which had equally assisted spinners and seam bowlers as it had lot of bounce and pace on an offer even on the fourth day which we had hardly witnessed in sub continent.

The right-arm speedster had has been considered an average bowler but putting on the skating shoes Umesh had enhanced to give a go to his speed gun with unerring accuracy where he had little to leak away the runs.

In the recent past, Umesh, who had clocked 140 KPH but wasn’t able to bowl with such consistency since making his debut.

Umesh was proportional in line to the Australian former pace sensation Shaun Tait when it came to the control over the ball however muscular Tait cranked up 150-plus during his career.

Traditionally helpful for seamers having bestowed with green tinge, Dharamsala behaved like WACA ground and Australians were expected to go all guns blazing against hosts, but they were caught in their own trap following the body blows while facing the quality spells from Umesh, who had put all his effort to unsettle Australian batsmen before the visitors lost a plot of its own.

Well built Umesh, who had been running hard throughout the series had become the most wicket-taker for India as the pace spearhead in a four-match Test series after bagging 17 wickets for India in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy which India won by 2-1 after see-saw battles in Dharmsala.

Following subtle variations, the accuracy had made him lethal weapon for India during the fourth Test against the Kangaroos on which he followed the line of his duty by getting David Warner on a peach of a delivery.

As the series witnessed enough drama, Umesh bowled his heart out, breathed fire which further got the reward with the early breakthroughs against Australia for his immaculate line and the length while cranking up above 140 Kph and had further asked some serious questions to visitors’ batsmen.

Umesh’s spell in the second innings was remarkable at Dharamsala in second over where he made Australian left-handers David Warner and Matt Renshaw dance on his bowling which tested them ball after another with decent good length bowling followed by brilliant short ball stuff that made Wriddhiman Saha gather the balls at his shoulder high.

His inspiring spell came when he dismissed David Warner and Matt Renshaw cheaply. Consistent with the new or old ball, Umesh had been on the forefront while performing with the set of balls.

Umesh was at the task with the new ball while unleashing his pace against Australians who came prepared for the hard-fought Test series. He has proved his game-plan session after another, day after day and Test after Tests to make his season remarkable with the cherry.

Not only against Australia, had Umesh bowled significantly against New Zealand last year but was unfortunate not to claim enough wickets as there was lot on offer for spinners.

Marching to the numbers, Umesh picked two wickets in two matches at an average of 62.

In sole-Test against Bangladesh, Umesh bagged three wickets at an average of 39. In five matches against England, Yadav claimed 8 wickets.

However, Umesh while rising to the prominence bowled 355.5 overs throughout the season as he had claimed 30 scalps in 12 Tests at home, they came as important breakthroughs for the team which has been highly competitive and Umesh has the capability to produce high-end results for the Team India – to lead the pack of fast bowlers in the foreseeable future and as the add on to nurse the young crop of pacers across India.

Umesh, who made his Test debut in 2011, has so far played 31 Tests in which he has bagged 88 wickets.

Let’s hope he’ll not be a bowler like left-arm Wahab Riaz, who has been bestowed with the pace, but he delivers once in a blue moon with a fiery spell for his team.

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