Umesh Yadav set to play for Essex in the remainder of the County Championship season

Indian pacer Umesh Yadav has signed with Essex as a replacement player for the remaining three matches of the ongoing County Division One Championship. The right-arm fast bowler will replace the injured Doug Bracewell in the squad, with Essex's next fixture scheduled to begin on September 4 against Middlesex.

Umesh Yadav had a short stint with Middlesex in the previous season. He played in four County Championship matches, where he claimed four wickets at an average of 71.50. He also played seven List A matches for the side, claiming 16 wickets which included a five-wicket haul as well. However, he had sustained a quad injury which proceeded to end his county stint.

Expressing his delight at having signed for Essex, Umesh Yadav said via a press release:

"I am really pleased to join Essex and make what I hope will be some valuable contributions to the team's success this year. I enjoyed playing in England with Middlesex last season, and it will be good to return and test myself in those conditions again, especially in the midst of a title race."

Umesh Yadav has a relatively good record in England when it comes to international red-ball cricket. He has claimed 11 wickets in three Tests at an average of 31.18.

Terming the pacer as a 'superb signing', Essex head coach Anthony McGrath said:

"Umesh is a superb signing for us, and we all know what he will be able to bring to our attack at a crucial time of the season. He is vastly experienced and has taken wickets at the top levels of the game for more than a decade now, so as well as contributing during our run-in, we hope he can pass on some of his wisdom to our young players too."

Essex are currently placed second in the points table behind Surrey after having played 11 matches so far, and losing only one.

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Umesh Yadav was last seen during the World Test Championship (WTC) Final

The pacer made it to the Team India playing XI of the WTC Final against Australia at The Oval in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. He returned figures of 0-77 and 2-54 in the contest which India proceeded to lose by 209 runs.

Prior to that, he had a horrid Indian Premier League (IPL) season for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He struggled with a niggle and could only play eight matches and ended up with only a solitary wicket.

Umesh was not part of Team India's squad for the two-match Test series against the West Indies as part of the new WTC cycle. The likes of Jaydev Unadkat and Mukesh Kumar were the frontline pacers in the series in his absence alongside Mohammed Siraj.