Rohit Sharma Umesh Yadav Team India: India captain Rohit Sharma on Sunday revealed that the inclusion of senior pacer Umesh Yadav in the T20I squad for the series against Australia will give his team a good option. Umesh was earlier included in the team after Mohammed Shami was corona positive, leaving Shami out of the series starting Tuesday.
Umesh last played a T20I for India in February 2019, and returned to the shortest format of the game after almost two and a half years on the basis of his good IPL performance for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2022. In IPL 2022, Umesh took 16 wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders at an average of 21.18 and an economy rate of 7.06. In Middlesex’s Royal London ODI Cup campaign, he took 16 wickets at an average of 20.25 and an economy rate of 5.17. Notably, Umesh recently returned from his county stint with Middlesex due to an injury.
“He (Umesh) bowled really well, he gives us a good bowling option. He swings the ball and bowls fast as well. It was really a very simple idea. It was too much for us,” he said. Wasn’t a topic of discussion. Keeping in mind the (T20) World Cup is around the corner, we have tried a lot of players. We have seen what each of us can do. We are very clear in our thought process and how we want to move forward.”
Rohit suggested that players like Umesh and Shami need not play T20 regularly for national selection. “Players like Umesh, Shami, who have been bowling for a long time, don’t need to play in that particular format to be considered. They have proved themselves as players in whatever format they have played. The newcomers on whom it will be a matter of debate.”
He further said, “It will depend on whether they (new players) have played this format or not. But players like Umesh and Shami, we need to see what they are doing at that particular time and if they are fit and fine then they will be given a chance. The other fast bowling options were not immediately available due to various reasons, which forced him to give a chance to Umesh.