Umesh Yadav expresses disappointment at ODI snub

Umesh Yadav expresses disappointment at ODI snub: The Indian fast bowler has called for more chances in limited-over formats.

There is no hiding to the fact that India fast bowler Umesh Yadav has been constantly brought in and out of the Indian cricket team across formats in the recent times. In ODIs, Yadav’s economy rate (6.01) often becomes a reason for the selectors to not select him.

However, it is the cut-throat competition for limited spots in Test matches which denies Yadav a spot in India’s Test XI despite his consistent performance in recent times.

Yadav was a vital member of the Indian ODI team during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. With 18 wickets in eight matches at an average of 17.83, an economy rate of 4.83 and a strike rate of 21.4, Yadav had finished the world event as its third-highest wicket-taker, the highest for India.

Since the previous World Cup, Yadav has picked up 39 wickets in 27 matches at an average of 37.38, an economy rate of 6.45 and a strike rate of 34.7. Talking as recently as the year 2018, Yadav played only four ODIs for India where his four wickets came at an average of 68.75, an economy rate of 6.90 and a strike rate of 59.7.

The constantly deteriorating numbers speak highly about Yadav falling out of contention from India’s ODI team. Furthermore, Yadav featuring in only six T20Is (five of which came in 2018) since his debut in 2012 also highlight the lack of chances for the right-hand fast bowler.

In a recent interview with Sportstar, Yadav put light on the fact of not being to prove himself due to limited opportunities. “As a bowler, I haven’t played any major tournaments. I just get an odd game in a series and then omitted. If you don’t get chances, how will you prove yourself?

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“If you see, in the last two years, how many ODIs would I have played? Hardly four [or] five. I got two games in England, two against West Indies, then they picked me for T20s and now I am again out,” Yadav was quoted as saying.

Yadav was named in the T20I squad for the T20I leg of the Australian tour but was dropped for the subsequent tour of New Zealand without being given a game.

After the Test series in Australia, Yadav returned home to take part in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. In Vidarbha’s Quarter-final match against Uttarakhand at Nagpur, Yadav picked up nine wickets (including his 11th First-class five-wicket haul) in the match on his home ground.

The 31-year old cricketer also spoke about the difference in playing international cricket and the Ranji Trophy saying that it isn’t easy for an international bowler to run-down the opposition in domestic cricket.

“Bowling in international cricket is different than playing here. Just like, after the first day [in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal], if someone had said ‘Umesh is here but hasn’t even been able to pick wickets against Uttarakhand’, it’s not fair. You have to also assess the conditions. I am not a Superman,” he added.