Umesh Yadav says marriage has matured him both as a cricketer as well as a person

What’s the story?

Indian fast bowler Umesh Yadav has said marriage has made him a matured cricketer and admitted that his wife Tanya told him that he had the capabilities to do much better and told him he wasn’t working as hard as he should be.

“I was left out of a Test, I was left out of a certain series. I never felt settled. But I think the maturity that I have now came after I got married. Then you start thinking about the other person, and know that there’s someone there for you always. Then you start thinking about the future more practically.

“Once my wife (Tanya Wadhwa) came into my life and the first 2-3 years (they married in 2013) she saw the ups and downs, she started pushing me harder. She was like yes you’re doing well and trying hard, but I think you can try harder and do better. She kept saying, “Umesh you have that ability. I think you’re not doing as much as you can,” Yadav told Indian Express in an interview.

He further admitted that his wife’s wish was for people to call him a ‘world class fast bowler’ and added that he wished to toil away even more for the public to call him by that name.

“Yes, I don’t think I’ve reached the level at which she wants to see me. She wants people to come up and say Umesh is a world-class bowler. I want to keep working hard to reach a point where she gets to hear that,” he said.

In case you didn’t know...

Yadav was one of India’s brightest sparks during the team’s 13 match Test season, which concluded last week. He played in 12 of those matches and picked up 30 wickets, delivering some fiery spells in most of those games, none fiery than the one against Bangladesh in the one-off Test at Hyderabad.

The heart of the matter

Yadav further added that with experience, he has learnt more about his game and added that he had benefited from his conversations with the likes of head coach Anil Kumble and batting coach Sanjay Bangar, who told him to observe the mannerisms of the batsman before running into bowl.

He further credited his teammates for their support in him becoming a more well-rounded bowler and added it was clarity of thought, more than any alterations to technique, which has helped in his improvements as a bowler.

What's next?

The next goal for Umesh would be to have a good IPL with the Kolkata Knight Riders, who have also played a key role in his revival as a fast bowler. He will hope that unlike in the past, the curators at the Eden Gardens leave considerable grass on the pitch for him to exploit and succeed.

Author's take

Often, one hears how certain coaches played in a cricketer’s transformation by altering things with regards to his game. But in Yadav’s case, it is his family who have proven to be the motivating factor behind his resurgence as a fast bowler.

It isn’t often the case that we hear family members playing such a role, but it indeed is refreshing to see on this occasion.