IPL 2018: Umesh Yadav wants to play in all formats for India

Umesh Yadav has hit the ground running in the Indian Premier League, but his sights are set on regaining a regular spot in all three formats for India. (IPL 2018 FULL COVERAGE)

India’s fastest bowler struck thrice in an over to give control for Royal Challengers Bangalore in their four-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab in an IPL 2018 match at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday, finishing with 3/23.

It followed his two wickets in the loss to Kolkata Knight Riders, helping demonstrate to skipper Virat Kohli of his abilities.

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Umesh Yadav, 30, didn’t get to play a Test on the South Africa tour, played his last ODI last September and has featured in just T20 International, in 2012.

On Friday, KXIP threatened to run away with the game when he removed Mayank Agarwal, Aaron Finch and Yuvraj Singh in one over, beating them with pace and accuracy.

STUMP TO STUMP

He thanked former India pacer and RCB bowling coach, Ashish Nehra, for his guidance.

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“As a fast bowler when a bowling coach shows confidence in you, your confidence goes up,” he said in comments on IPL’s official website.

“Nehra told me, ‘You have pace, try to bowl on the stumps, it will be better. You are a 140 plus bowler. If someone hits you straight for six, it’s fine by me.’ Since our camp started, that is what we have worked on.

“He says, ‘Umesh, bowl on the stumps, bowl stump to stump, outside off, that’s your area. If you bowl here, we’ll get wickets.’ I’m following that plan.”

Umesh Yadav was the India spearhead in the 2016-17 home Test series run, but has fallen behind as Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and all-rounder Hardik Pandya have come up along side Mohammed Shami.

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“The tag has been given that I bowl well in Tests because in Tests you have time, if the ball is swinging and reverse swinging and you have that talent (you can succeed). Old or new, the red ball swings more,” he said.

“But it’s not that I don’t like the white ball. As a fast bowler, I want to play for India in all three formats. I like that. I have age on my side and that ability in me. I feel the more games I play, the better it is for me and the team.

“Red or white, if I bowl the same way in all three formats, I’ll have success because in all three formats you bowl the same length with the new ball.”

PERFECT EXECUTION

Ability needs to be backed by execution and Umesh Yadav explained how he got prolific Karnataka batsman Agarwal and the other two KXIP batsmen on Friday.

“I’ve played many matches against Mayank, and I’ve always got his wicket. My idea was the straighter I make him play, the better. So, I bowled that first ball a little fuller hoping he’d attempt a big shot, and he did exactly that (caught behind).

“With Finch, I knew he’d struggle with in-swing first up. So my aim was to bowl on a good length and at the stumps. And I got that ball to move in at full pace and I was successful (leg before).

“With Yuvi paa...my plan was to bowl two balls on a good length, a bouncer, then again a good length ball, and that’s what I did (bowled middle-stump).”