Umesh Kumar | Indian World Cup Squad | 2015

Umesh Yadav came as an answer to the prayers of a country that yearns for genuine fast bowlers. He had caught the attention during IPL 2010 by breaking the 140-kmph mark on a consistent basis. He made his First-Class debut in 2008-09.
That performance in the IPL 2010 was enough for him to be picked for the Indian side at the ICC World T20 to replace an injured Praveen Kumar. In June that year, he made his ODI debut during the tri-series in Zimbabwe. As 2010 came to a close, he was in the Test side for the tour to South Africa.
Yadav took a while to show his potential at the highest level. Following the disastrous tour to England in 2011, he was called up for the ODI series at home against the same opposition, where he impressed. A Test cap was awarded to him when the West Indies toured India. During India’s horror show in Australia in 2011-12, he was one of the bright spots and recorded his maiden five-wicket haul at Perth.
However, the journey hasn’t been all that smooth. A few injuries have hindered his progress and he couldn’t establish himself in the long-run, though he has remained on the selector’s radar. His pace may be an asset but he tends to lose control and can be expensive. Though he is a strike bowler, his tendency to give away runs remains a worry, especially in the limited-overs formats.
In 2013, he was a part of the Indian side which won the ICC Champions Trophy and then made his contribution during the IPL 2014 victory for the Kolkata Knight Riders.