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In the World Test Championship final against New Zealand, the Indian pace bowlers were not at their best. They had favorable bowling conditions, but could not use that to their advantage.
India's primary problem was their inability to swing the ball enough. Although Mohammed Shami got the ball moving in some of his spells, the other two pacers, Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah hardly got any movement throughout the match.
In English conditions, swing is the biggest weapon in a pacer's arsenal. But most of the Indian bowlers in the squad are better at hitting the deck and seaming the ball off the pitch than conventionally swinging it in the air. The absence of a genuine swing bowler like Bhuvneshwar Kumar could potentially hurt India in the upcoming five-match test series against England.
India have six available pacers in their squad, viz. Sharma, Shami, Bhumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Shardul Thakur. They will have to choose their three or four pacers for the final XI wisely. India should not only go by statistics to make their selections, but rather try and pick horses for courses.
If that is the course of action they follow, then Umesh Yadav should surely come under consideration for selection, for the following reasons.
1) Umesh Yadav's Ability to Swing the New Ball
Umesh Yadav is the only good swing bowler in this squad. The right-arm quick has a very good outswing delivery in his repertoire, which could prove to be lethal in bowling-friendly English conditions.
His outswingers are ideal for getting the batsmen to nick one behind when they try to play him on the front foot. Yadav could also prove to be a very dangerous bowler for left-handers, as he often traps them in front by bringing the ball back in.
This is something that other pacers like Ishant and Bumrah have struggled to do as they do not have a good outswinger like Yadav. The 33-year-old would thus be an ideal option with the new ball for India as they look to pick up early wickets against the English.
2) Umesh Yadav's has been in good form in recent times
Umesh Yadav has been in very good form in Test matches over the last two years. He is not a regular in the Indian team, but Yadav has stepped up whenever he has gotten an opportunity.
In the inaugural WTC season spanning over the last 2 years, Yadav played only seven matches. But in those games, he has taken 29 wickets at an impressive average of 18.55 with one five-wicket haul.
The numbers show that Yadav is always up for the challenge and whenever the opportunity arrives, he often tends to deliver. Based on his recent good form, Umesh Yadav should be considered, alongside Mohammad Siraj, as the frontrunner if India choose to drop Sharma and/or Bumrah in the first Test against England.
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