In recent times, there have been a lot of issues been raised regarding the communication between the selectors, team management and players as Karun Nair and Murali Vijay saying they received no communication when they were dropped from the Test squad.
However, Umesh Yadav, another player who has been warming the benches despite decent performances, has said he has had no such issues each time he has failed to make it to the XI. He has played 19 Tests in the subcontinent since the 2016-17 season, picking up 41 wickets. It was the most – both wickets and matches – by any Indian pacer during the period, but he played only one of the eight Tests in South Africa and England combined.
Currently, Yadav has been included in the playing XI in the ongoing first Test against Windies in Rajkot, with Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar resting before the Australia tour.
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When asked if the team management kept him informed during an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Umesh said, “Definitely. So that communication is there. Like, in England, I played the first Test. In the second Test, they felt they should play a spinner, but with the rain, all plans were changed. Nobody can do anything about it. Their decision went a little bit wrong. Still, they had told me, ‘It’s not that we are dropping you, Umesh. But our thinking and planning are for an extra spinner, that’s it.'”
He further added, “Then, when Bumrah got fit, he was coming in after already having done well in South Africa. And in the first match, Ishant (Sharma) and (Mohammed) Shami had performed well, so they had to get the nod [ahead of me]. Then they kept doing well, so I also knew that it would be difficult to get a chance. I couldn’t even say, “I should get a chance”, because the guys were taking 20 wickets in every match. I knew I would have to wait for my chance. After playing for a few years, I have that much honesty and awareness to know when I should get a chance and when I shouldn’t.”
Umesh said he couldn’t complain about being dropped as he understood the team combination issues.
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Describing his point further, the pacer said, “Sometimes the team combination is such that you have to sit out. They know if you are bowling well, so they also feel bad telling me that I have to sit out. I have also got lots of chances, I’ve played lots of Tests continuously. Yes, the hope is always there that if you have done well in India, you get a chance outside, where you have better opportunities to take wickets. But that chance has gone now and I can’t do anything about it. Now I need to give such strong performances when I get the opportunity that people will have to think that I have to play.”
The Vidarbha fast bowler conceded it was difficult to miss out, but said inputs from bowling coach Bharat Arun helped him stay motivated.
Umesh explained, “It is difficult. Nobody likes to sit out. You can’t really do anything. Sometimes you feel like, “I would have got wickets if I was playing.” Sitting outside is more tiring than playing! Now I need to focus on how to do better if I get a match so that I get more chances in the future. He (Arun) is a very genuine person and a very good coach. He would tell me, “Umesh, I know it’s frustrating for you because I know you are bowling well,” since I was sitting out. He was there for me, ensuring that my morale shouldn’t go down.”
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He further added, “He has told me several important things too. Like he noticed how I was holding the ball and my wrist position, and suggested that some part of the ball should be touching my palm all the time. Earlier when I would bowl, the palm of my non-bowling hand would face the batsman in my load-up. He told me to keep it parallel to the batsman (palm facing midwicket), which would help my line, and that’s what happened. Earlier, my non-bowling hand was falling away, and that made the line go wrong at times. Sanjay (Bangar) bhai also told me this.”
