Virat Kohli on Umesh Yadav: The Indian captain confirms Umesh Yadav playing Test matches in Australia next month.
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After heaping praise on rookie batsman Prithvi Shaw, Indian captain Virat Kohli continued to speak highly about his players and their performance during a press conference after yesterday’s match.
Other than the 18-year old Shaw, Kohli was chiefly impressed by India’s 30-year old workhorse in Umesh Yadav, who became the third Indian fast bowler after Kapil Dev and Javagal Srinath to register a 10-wicket haul in a Test match at home.
Yadav’s ‘Man of the Match’ performance came at the exact right time for India are scheduled to fly to Australia next month for a four-match Test series, which Kohli described as ‘brutal’.
Yadav has been a consistent face when it comes to bowling on dead Indian wickets in the last couple of years. Having played a lone Test out of eight overseas matches this year speaks about the team’s confidence in him in helpful conditions. With his match-winning performance yesterday, that is certain to change now.
India have a confident contingent of fast bowlers, especially in Test matches. On being asked about Yadav’s chances of featuring in the playing eleven for the first Test, Kohli was quoted, “It’s good to have all guys confident and raring to go because four Tests in Australia can be brutal. The ball doesn’t do much over there, like in England. So, you have to come in and run in all day and bowl in the right areas with pace.”
“From that point of view, Umesh is right up there to be featuring in Australia because he’s got the pace, he’s got the fitness levels to run in all day and to pick up wickets at crucial times as he has a good bounce as well,” he added.
Speaking with Sanjay Manjrekar during the post-match presentation yesterday, Kohli had a special mention for Yadav and his determination.
Read some of the recent Twitter reactions on Yadav below:
