"I am concentrating on my line and length" - Umesh Yadav all set to take on South Africa

Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav, India’s fastest bowler till date, has finally made a comeback to the Indian team for the tour of South Africa after a season long break that was caused due to injuries. Yadav has been included in both the ODI and Test teams but the Vidharbha pacer is not ready to think too far ahead.

“I am not thinking too much, because thinking too much gets too many thoughts in the mind. Since I have got matches to play before going [to South Africa], I am concentrating on my line and length. That will be my preparation,”Umesh said.

The fast bowler from India is concentrating more on his preparations for the tour rather than speculating for a place in the first XI.

“The weather conditions there are different, wickets are different, so my mental preparations will be to focus on an area and bowl – that is on three quarters [of a length] and outside the off-stump. That is what I am focusing on because that is what important in Tests, bowling wicket to wicket is important.”

Although, Umesh Yadav is currently the fastest bowler from India, his place in the starting XI is not a certainty. In ODIs, India has the reliable Bhuvneshwar Kumar and the new pace sensation in Mohammed Shami. Umesh would face a tough battle to land a place for the 3rd seamer in the side from the likes of the two Sharmas in the squad – Mohit and Ishant.

In the Tests too, Umesh would find it difficult to make it to the side ,with the return of Zaheer Khan. The veteran pacer would lead the attack in the Tests along with the duo of Kumar and Shami.

However, Umesh is more concerned right now about Vidharbha’s match against Mumbai that will features the likes of Wasim Jaffer, Ajinkya Rahane and Abhishek Nayar. It would also have Zaheer Khan as the leader and so Umesh is keen to learn more from the Indian veteran seamer.

“For every fast bowler, match practice is good, so I feel that if I play before going on the tour it will be better for me,” he said.

“The kind of wicket this is … South Africa also has bouncy wickets, so it would be good preparation and Zak paa [Zaheer] is also playing, so I will get to learn by watching him as well – watching how he bowls, what he is doing with the ball. So it is very important for me.”